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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rule — a law
  7. root — the cause
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. prune — to trim
  10. object — an aim
  11. branch — a division
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. object — to protest
  14. rule — government
  15. root — of a plant
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. object — a thing
  22. root — of a word
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. prune — to trim

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