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

Word bank: present · stand · arm · branch · bulb · fork · toast · root

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. root — of a plant
  4. present — the time now
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. present — a gift
  7. stand — to bear
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — a division
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. toast — bread
  13. root — of a word
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. root — the cause
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. present — there
  24. bulb — for light

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