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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. land — a country
  5. squash — the sport
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. land — to come down
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. band — a ring
  12. land — ground
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. squash — to crush
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. branch — a division
  19. root — of a plant
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. root — the cause
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. band — a music group
  24. branch — of a tree

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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