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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.

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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: foot · branch · root · chip · club · bass · wound · mark

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. root — the cause
  3. wound — an injury
  4. mark — a trace
  5. bass — low music
  6. root — of a word
  7. club — a group
  8. foot — a measure
  9. root — of a plant
  10. club — for golf
  11. chip — to eat
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. wound — an injury
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. mark — a grade
  18. club — for dancing
  19. bass — the fish
  20. chip — for betting
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. branch — a division

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