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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 116 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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. track — a song
  3. branch — a division
  4. root — of a plant
  5. rash — a series
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. track — a path
  10. lie — to recline
  11. rash — hasty
  12. track — to keep track
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. root — the cause
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fork — in a road
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. root — of a word
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. scale — in music
  24. scale — size or range

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