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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: branch · mine · racket · root · pit · snap · land · fan

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. root — of a plant
  4. pit — in a race
  5. root — of a word
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. land — ground
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. land — to come down
  17. branch — a division
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. snap — to click
  20. pit — a hole
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. land — a country
  24. mine — for digging

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