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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: branch · deal · root · saw · lie · mine · foot · kid

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. mine — for digging
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. deal — to handle
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. foot — a measure
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. root — the cause
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. branch — a division
  16. root — of a plant
  17. saw — the tool
  18. kid — child
  19. saw — the tool
  20. kid — to tease
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. lie — to recline
  24. mine — belonging to me

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