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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. game — wild animals
  3. root — of a plant
  4. prune — to trim
  5. object — a thing
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — to protest
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. season — in sport
  12. season — of the year
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. court — of a king
  15. court — for sport
  16. root — of a word
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — boats
  19. court — of law
  20. branch — a division
  21. craft — a skill
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. prune — to trim
  24. game — a match

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