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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. root — of a word
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. face — to point toward
  6. pit — a hole
  7. root — of a plant
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bear — the animal
  10. root — the cause
  11. current — electric
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. race — a contest
  14. race — the arms race
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. race — humankind
  17. current — of water
  18. branch — a division
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. pit — in a race
  21. current — happening now
  22. bear — the animal
  23. face — to confront
  24. face — part of the head

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