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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. branch — a division
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. root — of a word
  7. root — the cause
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. mark — a grade
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. root — of a plant
  12. mark — a trace
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — steady
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. court — of a king
  22. firm — decided
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. court — of law

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