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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: fan · branch · coach · firm · root · charge · perch · kid

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. firm — steady
  3. branch — a division
  4. perch — the fish
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. firm — a company
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. kid — child
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. root — of a plant
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. kid — to tease
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. charge — in control
  19. root — the cause
  20. firm — decided
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — electricity
  24. fan — a supporter

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