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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
468
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: band · season · bark · lie · root · bank · staff · capital

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. staff — a stick
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. bank — for money
  5. root — the cause
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. staff — employees
  8. band — a ring
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. season — in sport
  13. bank — for money
  14. capital — a city
  15. season — of the year
  16. lie — to recline
  17. staff — employees
  18. root — of a word
  19. bank — of a river
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. capital — money
  22. band — a music group
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. root — of a plant

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