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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: key · root · band · mug · foot · bank · fan · pitcher

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. band — a music group
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. root — the cause
  9. root — of a word
  10. bank — for money
  11. root — of a plant
  12. band — a ring
  13. key — for a lock
  14. foot — a measure
  15. mug — a cup
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. key — in music
  18. mug — to rob
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. key — the most important part
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. bank — for money
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. bank — of a river

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