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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. ground — crushed
  6. tube — a container
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. branch — a division
  10. root — of a word
  11. wind — moving air
  12. wind — moving air
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. ground — the earth
  15. pitch — completely
  16. ground — a position
  17. root — of a plant
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. dip — to sink
  21. tube — the underground
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — to trim

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