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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. branch — a division
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. root — of a plant
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. spring — the season
  11. net — after costs
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. net — for catching
  14. spring — of water
  15. root — the cause
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. net — in sport
  18. spring — a coil
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. present — the time now
  21. present — a gift
  22. root — of a word
  23. present — there
  24. calf — a young animal

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