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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 116 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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. root — of a plant
  4. pit — in a race
  5. prune — to trim
  6. present — the time now
  7. track — a song
  8. pit — a hole
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. present — a gift
  12. branch — a division
  13. field — for sport
  14. track — a path
  15. present — there
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. root — of a word
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. field — a subject
  20. prune — to trim
  21. root — the cause
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. track — to keep track
  24. field — farmland

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