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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  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 tree
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. root — of a word
  4. bound — tied together
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. squash — to crush
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. root — of a plant
  12. content — the amount
  13. bound — certain
  14. root — the cause
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. content — happy
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bound — obliged
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. ball — a great time
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. squash — the sport
  23. ball — a dance
  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