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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bound — tied together
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. cap — a lid
  8. track — a path
  9. degree — an amount
  10. root — the cause
  11. degree — temperature
  12. track — to keep track
  13. wound — an injury
  14. cap — a hat
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. cap — of ice
  17. bound — obliged
  18. track — a song
  19. bound — certain
  20. root — of a plant
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. degree — from a university
  23. root — of a word
  24. branch — a division

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