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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: tube · root · branch · leaves · spell · track · cabinet · pop

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. spell — a short time
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. pop — to visit
  6. track — a song
  7. root — the cause
  8. tube — the underground
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. spell — magic
  12. track — a path
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. spell — letters
  15. tube — a container
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pop — music
  18. root — of a plant
  19. track — to keep track
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. root — of a word
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. branch — a division
  24. pop — soda

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