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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — of a word
  6. firm — decided
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. rest — what's left
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. branch — a division
  11. saw — the tool
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. rest — a break
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pitch — completely
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. firm — steady
  20. firm — a company
  21. swing — in golf
  22. swing — to play on
  23. root — the cause
  24. dip — to sink

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