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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.

Make a worksheet

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: file · suit · mate · branch · root · track · arm · plane

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. suit — to fit
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. track — to keep track
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. track — a song
  9. root — the cause
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. track — a path
  12. file — a tool
  13. file — a line of people
  14. suit — clothes
  15. root — of a plant
  16. plane — a tool
  17. mate — a partner
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. root — of a word
  21. file — a document
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mate — a friend

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