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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. cap — of ice
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. root — of a word
  7. lean — thin
  8. cap — a lid
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. lean — to bend
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. root — the cause
  14. spring — the season
  15. cap — a hat
  16. spring — a coil
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. spring — of water
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. root — of a plant
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. branch — a division

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