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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. root — of a plant
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bank — of a river
  9. mark — a trace
  10. squash — to crush
  11. rash — a series
  12. root — the cause
  13. bank — for money
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. mark — a grade
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. root — of a word
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. branch — a division
  20. rash — hasty
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bat — the animal
  23. bank — for money
  24. squash — the sport

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