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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. squash — the sport
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. root — of a plant
  8. march — the month
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. march — music
  14. march — the month
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. foot — a measure
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. root — of a word
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. root — the cause
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. squash — to crush

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