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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. file — a line of people
  4. branch — a division
  5. root — of a plant
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bore — to tire
  8. chip — for betting
  9. ball — a dance
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. root — of a word
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. ball — a great time
  14. sharp — clever
  15. file — a document
  16. bore — to drill
  17. chip — to eat
  18. file — a tool
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. suit — in cards
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. suit — to fit
  23. root — the cause
  24. branch — of a bank

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