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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. root — of a plant
  6. key — for a lock
  7. branch — a division
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. march — the month
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. fine — high quality
  14. root — the cause
  15. craft — boats
  16. march — the month
  17. march — music
  18. key — the most important part
  19. craft — a skill
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fine — all right
  22. root — of a word
  23. key — in music
  24. leaves — to go away

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