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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: content · root · dip · bear · branch · face · swing · bulb

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. dip — to sink
  4. root — of a word
  5. swing — in golf
  6. branch — a division
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. content — happy
  12. bear — the animal
  13. content — the amount
  14. bulb — for light
  15. face — to confront
  16. swing — to play on
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. face — to point toward
  19. root — the cause
  20. root — of a plant
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. swing — music

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