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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 120 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: pass · craft · branch · mug · mouse · land · root · dip

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. craft — a skill
  3. land — to come down
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. land — ground
  6. pass — a permit
  7. dip — to sink
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. mug — a face
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mug — to rob
  13. land — a country
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. root — of a word
  16. mug — a cup
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. root — of a plant
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. branch — a division
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. root — the cause
  24. mouse — the animal

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