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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: capital · band · lie · branch · bank · root · sharp · land

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bank — for money
  6. band — a ring
  7. root — the cause
  8. sharp — clever
  9. root — of a plant
  10. band — a music group
  11. bank — for money
  12. land — ground
  13. root — of a word
  14. capital — a city
  15. land — a country
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. land — to come down
  20. lie — to recline
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. capital — money
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. band — a rubber band

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