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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. branch — a division
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. file — a document
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. file — a line of people
  8. root — the cause
  9. present — the time now
  10. present — a gift
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. file — a tool
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. root — of a word
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. present — there
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. game — wild animals
  24. game — a match

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