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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. root — of a word
  3. tear — from crying
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. root — of a plant
  7. tear — from crying
  8. branch — a division
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. mark — a grade
  12. board — to get on
  13. craft — boats
  14. root — the cause
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. craft — a skill
  17. tear — to rip
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. board — a committee
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. mark — a trace
  24. board — a flat piece

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