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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bound — obliged
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. rest — a break
  7. branch — a division
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. bound — certain
  10. root — of a plant
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. board — a committee
  13. root — of a word
  14. bound — tied together
  15. hand — in cards
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. hand — help
  18. rest — what's left
  19. firm — a company
  20. board — to get on
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. firm — steady
  23. rest — what's left
  24. firm — decided

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