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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
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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: bank · date · lie · pitcher · object · calf · field · root

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. field — for sport
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bank — for money
  8. lie — to recline
  9. field — farmland
  10. root — of a word
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. object — an aim
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. field — a subject
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — to protest
  19. root — the cause
  20. root — of a plant
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. date — the fruit
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. date — on the calendar

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