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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — a division
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. root — the cause
  7. last — final
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. root — of a word
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. snap — to click
  14. rock — a stone
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. last — finally
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. rock — music
  24. last — to go on

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