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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 116 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: spell · cold · content · can · root · bank · row · object

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. object — a thing
  3. content — the amount
  4. can — a tin
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. can — a tin
  7. object — an aim
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — of a plant
  10. row — to paddle
  11. row — a line
  12. cold — not warm
  13. object — to protest
  14. spell — a short time
  15. root — the cause
  16. content — happy
  17. spell — magic
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bank — for money
  21. spell — letters
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. can — to be able to
  24. bank — for money

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