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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 120 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: lie · object · rest · ball · branch · root · pass · net

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. rest — what's left
  4. root — of a plant
  5. net — after costs
  6. branch — a division
  7. object — an aim
  8. rest — a break
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. pass — a permit
  11. net — in sport
  12. root — of a word
  13. rest — what's left
  14. object — to protest
  15. ball — a great time
  16. root — the cause
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. object — a thing
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. net — for catching
  23. lie — to recline
  24. lie — an untruth

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