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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 120 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: march · branch · trunk · object · stick · ball · root · chip

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. root — the cause
  3. march — the month
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. chip — to eat
  6. root — of a word
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. march — music
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. root — of a plant
  12. object — a thing
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. march — the month
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. chip — for betting
  19. object — to protest
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. ball — a great time
  22. object — an aim
  23. ball — a dance
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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