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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 120 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: root · cap · scale · last · lean · rash · firm · branch

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. root — the cause
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. firm — steady
  5. last — finally
  6. cap — of ice
  7. last — final
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cap — a lid
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. rash — a series
  12. scale — in music
  13. root — of a word
  14. root — of a plant
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. scale — size or range
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. firm — a company
  19. last — to go on
  20. firm — decided
  21. lean — to bend
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. lean — thin
  24. rash — hasty

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