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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: root · pit · bank · bulb · toast · wound · mouse · net

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. pit — a hole
  6. wound — an injury
  7. toast — bread
  8. root — of a word
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. bank — for money
  12. net — in sport
  13. root — of a plant
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. net — after costs
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bank — of a river
  18. net — for catching
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bank — for money
  21. pit — in a race
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. root — the cause

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