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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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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 · craft · branch · fall · pass · ruler · land · bank

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. root — the cause
  5. land — ground
  6. fall — to drop
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. root — of a word
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bank — for money
  11. pass — a permit
  12. fall — to drop
  13. branch — a division
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. bank — for money
  16. root — of a plant
  17. craft — boats
  18. bank — of a river
  19. fall — the season
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. land — a country
  22. land — to come down
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. pass — to spend time

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