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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.

Make a worksheet

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: leaves · branch · mine · root · present · chest · tube · bass

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. chest — of your body
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. branch — a division
  5. present — the time now
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. chest — of your body
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. present — there
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. root — of a word
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. root — the cause
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. root — of a plant
  18. chest — a box
  19. tube — a container
  20. present — a gift
  21. mine — for digging
  22. bass — low music
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. tube — the underground

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