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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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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: coach · saw · rest · rush · bass · root · branch · mark

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. root — of a word
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. rush — hurry
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. root — the cause
  7. saw — the tool
  8. rest — what's left
  9. mark — a grade
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bass — low music
  14. rest — what's left
  15. root — of a plant
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. saw — the tool
  21. branch — a division
  22. rest — a break
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. mark — to pay attention

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