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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. saw — the tool
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. branch — a division
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. tube — the underground
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. root — the cause
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. saw — the tool
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. tube — a container
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. root — of a word
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. root — of a plant
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. trunk — of a car

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