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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. rest — what's left
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. cap — a lid
  6. root — of a word
  7. current — electric
  8. charge — electricity
  9. rest — a break
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — in control
  12. cap — a hat
  13. mark — a trace
  14. root — of a plant
  15. current — of water
  16. cap — of ice
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. current — happening now
  19. rest — what's left
  20. mark — a grade
  21. plane — a tool
  22. branch — a division
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. root — the cause

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