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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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Word bank
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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: present · root · bass · plane · bay · bank · kick · stock

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bank — for money
  3. present — there
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bass — the fish
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. root — of a word
  9. bass — low music
  10. stock — shares
  11. present — the time now
  12. stock — goods
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. root — the cause
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. present — a gift
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. bank — for money
  19. plane — a tool
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. bank — of a river
  22. kick — in football
  23. root — of a plant
  24. plane — in geometry

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