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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. root — of a plant
  5. wind — moving air
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. wind — moving air
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. staff — employees
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. branch — a division
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. degree — temperature
  14. staff — a stick
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. scale — size or range
  17. root — of a word
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. degree — an amount
  20. degree — from a university
  21. staff — employees
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. scale — in music

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