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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. branch — a division
  3. file — a tool
  4. file — a document
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. root — of a plant
  8. dip — to sink
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. tear — to rip
  12. root — the cause
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. tear — from crying
  16. last — to go on
  17. last — final
  18. tear — from crying
  19. bear — the animal
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. file — a line of people
  22. root — of a word
  23. bear — the animal
  24. branch — of a tree

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