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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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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: fall · root · bank · capital · stem · chip · sharp · saw

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. root — the cause
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — clever
  7. root — of a plant
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. fall — the season
  10. saw — the tool
  11. fall — to drop
  12. capital — money
  13. chip — for betting
  14. saw — the tool
  15. chip — to eat
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bank — for money
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. bank — of a river
  22. capital — a city
  23. stem — to come from
  24. root — of a word

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