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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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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: rule · snap · root · jam · pitch · dip · straw · bank

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. snap — to click
  4. bank — of a river
  5. pitch — completely
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a word
  9. bank — for money
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. bank — for money
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. rule — a law
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. rule — government
  22. dip — to sink
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. rule — to rule out

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