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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bank · bark · spell · root · jam · capital · nail · cue

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bark — to shout
  3. root — the cause
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. capital — a city
  7. bank — for money
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. spell — letters
  10. bank — for money
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. spell — magic
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. cue — a signal
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. spell — a short time
  19. cue — for pool
  20. root — of a word
  21. capital — money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. cue — a hint
  24. nail — for a hammer

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