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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. stock — shares
  4. branch — a division
  5. tear — from crying
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. bear — the animal
  8. root — of a word
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. tear — to rip
  11. lean — thin
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bear — the animal
  15. lean — to bend
  16. spring — of water
  17. stock — goods
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. spring — the season
  20. tear — from crying
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. root — of a plant
  24. spring — a coil

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