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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bear — the animal
  5. suit — clothes
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. band — a ring
  10. suit — in cards
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. root — of a plant
  14. root — the cause
  15. band — a music group
  16. root — of a word
  17. bear — the animal
  18. branch — a division
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. ground — the earth
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. ground — a position

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