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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 124 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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  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. march — the month
  2. root — the cause
  3. mate — a partner
  4. root — of a plant
  5. lie — to recline
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. branch — a division
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. rock — a stone
  11. root — of a word
  12. march — music
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. march — the month
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mate — to breed
  18. rock — music
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. mate — a friend
  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