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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. pass — a permit
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. charge — electricity
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. branch — a division
  9. fall — to drop
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — in control
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. root — of a word
  16. fall — to drop
  17. deal — to handle
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. root — the cause
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. fall — the season

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