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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: dip · stock · net · temple · bank · root · bass · deal

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. root — of a plant
  3. net — for catching
  4. net — after costs
  5. bank — for money
  6. deal — to handle
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. root — the cause
  10. bank — for money
  11. net — in sport
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bass — the fish
  14. stock — shares
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. stock — goods
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. root — of a word
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bank — of a river

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