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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: pass · bank · safe · press · racket · root · hand · clip

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. root — of a plant
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. root — the cause
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. hand — help
  7. bank — for money
  8. press — to push
  9. root — of a word
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. hand — in cards
  12. clip — to cut
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bank — of a river
  15. press — newspapers
  16. clip — a video
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pass — a permit
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. bank — for money
  24. press — a publisher

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