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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. clip — for paper
  4. branch — a division
  5. board — to get on
  6. bound — tied together
  7. clip — a video
  8. present — a gift
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. root — of a plant
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. root — the cause
  13. present — the time now
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. date — the fruit
  16. clip — to cut
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. bound — obliged
  19. present — there
  20. toast — bread
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — a committee
  24. bound — certain

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