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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. branch — a division
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. root — the cause
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. suit — clothes
  9. chip — to eat
  10. suit — to fit
  11. mate — a partner
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. suit — in cards
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. root — of a plant
  16. chip — for betting
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. root — of a word
  19. mate — a friend
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pound — a weight

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