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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. game — a match
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. game — wild animals
  5. root — of a word
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. present — a gift
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. root — the cause
  10. lie — to recline
  11. rush — hurry
  12. root — of a plant
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. present — the time now
  15. branch — a division
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. branch — of a bank

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