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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · can · root · trunk · ruler · hand · fall · bass

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bass — the fish
  6. root — of a word
  7. root — of a plant
  8. hand — help
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. can — a tin
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — for money
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. fall — the season
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. can — to be able to
  19. fall — to drop
  20. can — a tin
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. bank — of a river
  23. root — the cause
  24. ruler — for measuring

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