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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: foot · toast · root · lash · branch · ruler · bore · cold

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. root — the cause
  6. cold — not warm
  7. root — of a word
  8. branch — a division
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. root — of a plant
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. bore — to tire
  15. cold — an illness
  16. foot — a measure
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. toast — bread
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. bore — to drill
  24. ruler — a monarch

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