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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.

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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. pitch — completely
  3. spring — the season
  4. root — of a plant
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. spring — a coil
  7. spring — of water
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. root — the cause
  10. suit — to fit
  11. ball — a great time
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. ball — a dance
  14. fall — the season
  15. branch — a division
  16. fall — to drop
  17. root — of a word
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. suit — in cards
  21. fall — to drop
  22. suit — clothes
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. perch — the fish

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