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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 120 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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. branch — a division
  4. root — the cause
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. tear — from crying
  7. root — of a plant
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — a series
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. capital — a city
  16. tear — from crying
  17. capital — money
  18. craft — boats
  19. root — of a word
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. tear — to rip
  23. craft — a skill
  24. fan — a supporter

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