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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: root · firm · current · lie · cabinet · branch · prune · cap

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. lie — to recline
  3. cap — of ice
  4. current — electric
  5. cap — a hat
  6. root — of a plant
  7. firm — steady
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. branch — a division
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a word
  14. firm — a company
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. current — happening now
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — to trim
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. cap — a lid
  22. firm — decided
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. cabinet — ministers

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