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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 116 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.

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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: fan · key · stick · branch · root · rule · net · present

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. root — the cause
  3. rule — government
  4. rule — a law
  5. key — in music
  6. present — a gift
  7. net — after costs
  8. present — there
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. root — of a plant
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — for a lock
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. net — for catching
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. branch — a division
  22. present — the time now
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. root — of a word

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