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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 120 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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — the cause
  4. firm — decided
  5. current — happening now
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — a company
  9. present — a gift
  10. current — of water
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. prune — to trim
  17. foot — a measure
  18. present — the time now
  19. present — there
  20. root — of a plant
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. current — electric
  24. branch — a division

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