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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. root — of a word
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. court — of a king
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. plane — a tool
  7. tube — a container
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. charge — in control
  11. branch — a division
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. charge — a price
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. court — for sport
  16. cap — a hat
  17. court — of law
  18. cap — of ice
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. tube — the underground
  21. cap — a lid
  22. pound — a weight
  23. charge — electricity
  24. root — the cause

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