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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: branch · plane · object · root · bore · bay · snap · capital

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. object — an aim
  6. bore — to tire
  7. capital — a city
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. snap — to click
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. root — of a word
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. object — a thing
  17. bore — to drill
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. root — of a plant
  20. branch — a division
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. object — to protest
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. root — the cause

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