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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: perch · sharp · spring · bank · bay · rock · root · bound

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. root — of a word
  3. spring — of water
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. rock — a stone
  9. bound — tied together
  10. root — of a plant
  11. root — the cause
  12. bank — for money
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. sharp — clever
  15. spring — the season
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. spring — a coil
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bank — of a river
  21. perch — the fish
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — obliged
  24. rock — music

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