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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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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: pit · root · spring · ruler · track · branch · chip · key

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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 bank
  3. key — for a lock
  4. spring — of water
  5. spring — the season
  6. track — to keep track
  7. key — in music
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. spring — a coil
  10. root — of a plant
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. chip — to eat
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. branch — a division
  16. pit — a hole
  17. root — the cause
  18. key — the most important part
  19. pit — in a race
  20. chip — for betting
  21. track — a path
  22. track — a song
  23. branch — of a tree
  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