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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. root — the cause
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — moving air
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. root — of a word
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. ball — a great time
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. root — of a plant
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. wake — a trail
  19. ball — a dance
  20. branch — a division
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — the tool

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