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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. root — the cause
  3. wake — a trail
  4. degree — temperature
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. root — of a plant
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. mark — a trace
  10. degree — from a university
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. staff — employees
  14. fork — in a road
  15. staff — a stick
  16. staff — employees
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. mark — a grade
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. root — of a word
  21. degree — an amount
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  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