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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: cold · root · squash · craft · board · roll · branch · can

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  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 — of a tree
  2. craft — a skill
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — of a plant
  5. squash — the sport
  6. board — to get on
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. can — a tin
  9. squash — to crush
  10. can — to be able to
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. cold — not warm
  13. craft — boats
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. roll — a list
  17. can — a tin
  18. roll — a cake
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. board — a committee
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. cold — an illness
  23. branch — a division
  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