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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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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: pass · root · race · branch · saw · fine · ruler · game

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. saw — the tool
  3. game — wild animals
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — of a plant
  6. root — the cause
  7. game — a match
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. pass — a permit
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. branch — a division
  15. fine — all right
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. saw — the tool
  19. race — a contest
  20. race — the arms race
  21. fine — high quality
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. race — humankind
  24. ruler — for measuring

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