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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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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: prune · bay · ruler · root · coach · branch · rule · mine

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. prune — to trim
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. mine — for digging
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. root — the cause
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. root — of a word
  12. prune — to trim
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. rule — government
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. rule — a law
  24. mine — an explosive

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