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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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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: ruler · root · lie · branch · straw · net · bay · cap

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. root — of a word
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. root — the cause
  5. net — for catching
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — a division
  8. cap — of ice
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. cap — a lid
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. lie — to recline
  15. net — after costs
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. root — of a plant
  23. net — in sport
  24. branch — of a bank

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