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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: lean · root · branch · current · wake · pound · rock · bear

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. current — of water
  5. root — of a word
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lean — thin
  9. current — electric
  10. current — happening now
  11. bear — the animal
  12. branch — a division
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. root — of a plant
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — music
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. wake — a trail
  22. root — the cause
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. pound — a weight

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