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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: bark · safe · swing · root · coach · mouse · fan · bank

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bank — for money
  4. swing — to play on
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. root — of a word
  7. bank — of a river
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. swing — music
  11. swing — in golf
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bark — to shout
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bank — for money
  17. root — of a plant
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. root — the cause
  24. fan — to cool the air

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