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

Word bank: root · craft · branch · press · kid · ruler

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — a division
  3. kid — to tease
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. press — a publisher
  6. root — of a plant
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. press — to push
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. kid — child
  12. craft — a skill
  13. root — the cause
  14. press — newspapers
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. root — of a word
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. craft — boats

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