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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 116 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: wind · branch · root · craft · swing · board · mouse · land

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. craft — boats
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. land — to come down
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. board — a committee
  8. swing — in golf
  9. wind — moving air
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. root — of a word
  12. wind — moving air
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. land — a country
  15. craft — a skill
  16. land — ground
  17. root — of a plant
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. swing — to play on
  20. board — to get on
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. swing — music
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. root — the cause

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