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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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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: fan · pit · bank · band · ground · racket · root · rock

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. rock — a stone
  3. band — a ring
  4. rock — music
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pit — in a race
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. band — a music group
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bank — for money
  13. root — of a word
  14. ground — crushed
  15. root — the cause
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bank — for money
  19. ground — the earth
  20. root — of a plant
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bank — of a river
  24. ground — a position

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