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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. ball — a great time
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. root — the cause
  10. suit — clothes
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — of a word
  13. club — for golf
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — to fit
  20. craft — boats
  21. club — for dancing
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. craft — a skill
  24. club — a group

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