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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 120 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: bank · ground · safe · shower · bound · root · can · mine

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. root — the cause
  3. bank — for money
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. shower — to wash
  6. ground — a position
  7. can — a tin
  8. bound — tied together
  9. can — to be able to
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — certain
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. root — of a word
  14. bank — for money
  15. ground — the earth
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. shower — rain
  19. ground — crushed
  20. can — a tin
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. root — of a plant
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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