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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: cell · bound · file · branch · kid · dip · safe · root

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. root — of a word
  3. file — a line of people
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. cell — a phone
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. file — a tool
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. file — a document
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. kid — child
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. root — of a plant
  18. bound — obliged
  19. dip — to sink
  20. root — the cause
  21. kid — to tease
  22. bound — certain
  23. cell — in biology
  24. bound — tied together

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