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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — a thing
  6. pound — a weight
  7. bear — the animal
  8. spring — the season
  9. face — to point toward
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — the cause
  12. face — to confront
  13. root — of a plant
  14. branch — a division
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tear — from crying
  17. bear — the animal
  18. spring — a coil
  19. face — part of the head
  20. spring — of water
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. object — to protest
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. tear — to rip

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