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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. cell — in biology
  6. root — of a plant
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. cell — a phone
  10. scale — size or range
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. branch — a division
  13. scale — in music
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. root — the cause
  17. ball — a great time
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. ball — a dance
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. root — of a word
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. scale — for weighing

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