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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. root — of a word
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. root — the cause
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. branch — a division
  8. stock — shares
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. fine — all right
  11. stock — goods
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. root — of a plant
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fine — high quality
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. roll — a cake
  19. roll — a list
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. safe — a strongbox

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