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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  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. stand — for spectators
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. root — of a plant
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. root — of a word
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. object — a thing
  8. roll — a cake
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. branch — a division
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. roll — a list
  14. root — the cause
  15. object — an aim
  16. stand — to bear
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. last — to go on
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. object — to protest
  22. last — finally
  23. last — final
  24. branch — of a tree

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