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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: track · temple · plane · pitcher · root · tear · bank · perch

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. root — of a plant
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. tear — from crying
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. bank — of a river
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. tear — to rip
  12. bank — for money
  13. track — a path
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. track — a song
  16. perch — the fish
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. track — to keep track
  20. tear — from crying
  21. plane — a tool
  22. root — the cause
  23. root — of a word
  24. temple — a place of worship

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