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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: coach · root · branch · lash · bulb · wave · band · key

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. root — of a plant
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bulb — for light
  6. key — in music
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. branch — a division
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. key — the most important part
  12. root — the cause
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. key — for a lock
  15. root — of a word
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. band — a music group
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. band — a ring
  24. coach — a trainer

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