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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. root — the cause
  3. can — to be able to
  4. cell — a phone
  5. scale — size or range
  6. branch — a division
  7. scale — in music
  8. cell — in biology
  9. root — of a word
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. wind — moving air
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. can — a tin
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. root — of a plant
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. can — a tin

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