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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: date · pass · bark · bay · arm · cap · root · bank

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. root — of a word
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. root — the cause
  10. cap — of ice
  11. date — the fruit
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. cap — a hat
  15. bank — for money
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. bank — for money
  19. root — of a plant
  20. pass — a permit
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bank — of a river
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. bark — a dog's sound

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com