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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
468
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 · wave · dip · band · field · root · fine · lash

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. fine — high quality
  3. root — of a word
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. branch — a division
  8. band — a music group
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. field — farmland
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. band — a ring
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. root — the cause
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. field — a subject
  20. fine — all right
  21. root — of a plant
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. field — for sport

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