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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 116 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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — decided
  4. pop — soda
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. branch — a division
  7. track — to keep track
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. pop — music
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pop — to visit
  13. root — of a plant
  14. firm — a company
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. track — a song
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. root — the cause
  20. track — a path
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. root — of a word
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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