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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
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: bass · straw · ground · temple · toast · branch · rush · root

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. root — the cause
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bass — the fish
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. toast — bread
  9. bass — low music
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. ground — crushed
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. root — of a plant
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. branch — a division
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. root — of a word
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. ground — a position
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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