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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: press · mark · root · fine · branch · scale · rule · bark

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. press — newspapers
  3. bark — to shout
  4. rule — government
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. root — of a word
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. root — of a plant
  11. mark — a grade
  12. root — the cause
  13. branch — a division
  14. rule — a law
  15. fine — high quality
  16. press — to push
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. fine — all right
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. scale — in music
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. scale — size or range
  24. mark — a trace

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