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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 120 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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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 · craft · pit · band · bank · cap · stick · mug

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — a hat
  5. mug — to rob
  6. band — a music group
  7. band — a ring
  8. root — of a plant
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. pit — in a race
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. bank — for money
  15. craft — boats
  16. bank — of a river
  17. root — the cause
  18. pit — a hole
  19. bank — for money
  20. craft — a skill
  21. mug — a face
  22. cap — of ice
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. mug — a cup

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