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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: root · stem · bear · racket · branch · bay · scale · content

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. root — of a plant
  3. scale — in music
  4. root — the cause
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. scale — size or range
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. root — of a word
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. bear — the animal
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. branch — a division
  18. content — happy
  19. content — the amount
  20. stem — to come from
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bear — the animal
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. bear — to put up with

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