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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.

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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 chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. firm — decided
  3. branch — a division
  4. root — of a word
  5. bulb — for light
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bulb — for light
  10. scale — in music
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — steady
  13. root — of a plant
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. root — the cause
  16. scale — size or range
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. board — to get on
  22. wind — moving air
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — a committee

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