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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 120 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
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: bark · pit · bass · saw · rash · root · branch · face

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. face — to point toward
  5. rash — a series
  6. root — of a word
  7. root — the cause
  8. bark — to shout
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — in a race
  13. face — to confront
  14. face — part of the head
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bass — the fish
  18. rash — hasty
  19. saw — the tool
  20. root — of a plant
  21. branch — a division
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. bass — low music
  24. saw — the tool

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