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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 120 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: bowl · bank · root · fall · row · staff · wave · ruler

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. staff — employees
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. root — of a plant
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. row — a line
  7. fall — to drop
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. root — of a word
  15. root — the cause
  16. row — to paddle
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bank — of a river
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. staff — employees
  21. bank — for money
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. staff — a stick
  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