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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: ground · net · ball · dip · bank · root · club · tube

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. ball — a dance
  3. root — the cause
  4. ground — crushed
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ground — the earth
  8. club — for golf
  9. tube — a container
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. tube — the underground
  13. bank — for money
  14. club — a group
  15. root — of a word
  16. net — after costs
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. dip — to sink
  19. root — of a plant
  20. club — for dancing
  21. ball — a great time
  22. net — for catching
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. ground — a position

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