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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.

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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: mark · march · object · root · mug · chair · cell · bank

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bank — for money
  3. mug — a cup
  4. root — of a plant
  5. march — the month
  6. root — the cause
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. cell — a phone
  9. march — the month
  10. bank — for money
  11. object — a thing
  12. mark — a trace
  13. march — music
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. mug — to rob
  16. chair — a leader
  17. bank — of a river
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. object — an aim
  20. mark — a grade
  21. cell — in biology
  22. mug — a face
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. object — to protest

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