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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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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: bay · press · branch · craft · root · pop · file · tear

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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 — the cause
  3. file — a line of people
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. press — a publisher
  7. press — newspapers
  8. craft — a skill
  9. tear — from crying
  10. file — a document
  11. tear — from crying
  12. press — to push
  13. craft — boats
  14. tear — to rip
  15. root — of a word
  16. pop — music
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. pop — soda
  19. pop — to visit
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. branch — a division
  23. root — of a plant
  24. file — a tool

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