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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: chip · branch · track · craft · board · firm · file · root

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. board — a committee
  4. craft — a skill
  5. board — to get on
  6. file — a tool
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. track — a path
  10. craft — boats
  11. firm — steady
  12. chip — to eat
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. root — the cause
  15. branch — a division
  16. firm — decided
  17. track — to keep track
  18. chip — for betting
  19. file — a document
  20. track — a song
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. root — of a plant
  23. firm — a company
  24. file — a line of people

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