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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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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: pop · branch · pitch · wind · patient · ruler · root · land

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. pop — soda
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. root — of a plant
  6. land — to come down
  7. land — ground
  8. land — a country
  9. wind — moving air
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. root — of a word
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. pop — music
  15. pitch — completely
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pop — to visit
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. wind — moving air
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. branch — a division

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