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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. saw — the tool
  3. root — of a plant
  4. rock — music
  5. track — to keep track
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. track — a song
  8. bank — of a river
  9. branch — a division
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. track — a path
  12. bank — for money
  13. saw — the tool
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. root — of a word
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. root — the cause
  21. charge — in control
  22. rock — a stone
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — electricity

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