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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. fork — in a road
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. cell — in biology
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. root — of a plant
  8. branch — a division
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. root — of a word
  15. root — the cause
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. cell — a phone

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