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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. root — the cause
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — of a word
  11. branch — a division
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. prune — to trim
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. prune — to trim
  16. degree — an amount
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. degree — temperature
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. degree — from a university

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