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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: pitcher · branch · march · cap · root · perch · bowl · sharp

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. march — the month
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. cap — a lid
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. sharp — clever
  10. cap — of ice
  11. branch — a division
  12. march — music
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. root — the cause
  15. march — the month
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — the fish
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. root — of a word
  23. cap — a hat
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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