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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bay · branch · ruler · cell · root · cap

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. cell — a phone
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cap — a hat
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. branch — a division
  10. cell — in biology
  11. root — the cause
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. root — of a word

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