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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. scale — in music
  4. bound — obliged
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. bound — certain
  7. branch — a division
  8. fork — in a road
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. net — for catching
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. root — of a word
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a plant
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bound — tied together
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. scale — size or range
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. net — in sport
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. net — after costs

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