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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. present — a gift
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. swing — to play on
  7. root — of a word
  8. branch — a division
  9. swing — in golf
  10. present — there
  11. root — the cause
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bound — tied together
  14. swing — music
  15. bound — certain
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. root — of a plant
  21. present — the time now
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. ruler — a monarch

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