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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: branch · bound · can · staff · date · rest · root · band

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. root — of a plant
  3. staff — employees
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. band — a ring
  6. rest — a break
  7. bound — obliged
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. rest — what's left
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. bound — tied together
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a word
  14. branch — a division
  15. staff — a stick
  16. bound — certain
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. band — a music group
  20. staff — employees
  21. can — to be able to
  22. rest — what's left
  23. can — a tin
  24. date — the fruit

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