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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: root · track · craft · sharp · hand · bulb · spell · branch

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. sharp — clever
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — of a word
  6. bulb — for light
  7. root — the cause
  8. spell — magic
  9. track — to keep track
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. craft — a skill
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. branch — a division
  14. spell — letters
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. hand — help
  17. spell — a short time
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. bulb — for light
  20. craft — boats
  21. track — a path
  22. hand — in cards
  23. track — a song
  24. craft — a handicraft

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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