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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. fork — in a road
  3. suit — clothes
  4. wind — moving air
  5. root — of a plant
  6. field — for sport
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mate — to breed
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. suit — in cards
  11. field — a subject
  12. branch — a division
  13. field — farmland
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. root — the cause
  18. suit — to fit
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. rock — music
  21. mate — a friend
  22. rock — a stone
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. wind — moving air

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