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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. game — wild animals
  5. mark — a trace
  6. root — the cause
  7. can — a tin
  8. mark — a grade
  9. game — a match
  10. can — a tin
  11. branch — a division
  12. hand — in cards
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. can — to be able to
  19. root — of a plant
  20. root — of a word
  21. hand — help
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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