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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — a division
  4. rock — music
  5. suit — clothes
  6. rash — hasty
  7. root — of a plant
  8. root — of a word
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. land — to come down
  12. land — a country
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. suit — to fit
  18. kick — in football
  19. root — the cause
  20. land — ground
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. suit — in cards

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