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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bark — to shout
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. present — there
  5. root — of a plant
  6. branch — a division
  7. wax — to grow
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. root — of a word
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. game — wild animals
  17. present — the time now
  18. present — a gift
  19. can — to be able to
  20. perch — the fish
  21. can — a tin
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. can — a tin
  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