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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. row — to paddle
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. prune — to trim
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. root — of a word
  12. root — the cause
  13. present — there
  14. present — the time now
  15. pitch — completely
  16. root — of a plant
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. prune — to trim
  19. row — a line
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. mark — a grade
  22. present — a gift
  23. branch — a division
  24. row — a quarrel

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