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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 120 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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. branch — a division
  4. file — a document
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. root — the cause
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. root — of a word
  9. key — the most important part
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. root — of a plant
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. key — for a lock
  16. file — a tool
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. stand — to bear
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. file — a line of people
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. key — in music

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