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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: root · bank · chip · prune · wave · straw · scale · object

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. chip — to eat
  3. prune — to trim
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bank — for money
  6. root — of a word
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. bank — for money
  9. root — of a plant
  10. bank — of a river
  11. object — to protest
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. scale — in music
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. object — a thing
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. scale — size or range
  20. object — an aim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. chip — for betting

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