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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. root — of a plant
  3. swing — to play on
  4. rest — what's left
  5. branch — a division
  6. rock — music
  7. row — to paddle
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mug — a face
  11. row — a line
  12. swing — in golf
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. root — the cause
  15. rest — what's left
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. root — of a word
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. swing — music
  21. rock — a stone
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. rest — a break

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