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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: staff · board · last · root · suit · roll · sharp · branch

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. suit — clothes
  5. board — a committee
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. roll — a list
  8. sharp — clever
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. suit — in cards
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — a stick
  13. roll — a cake
  14. last — finally
  15. root — the cause
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. last — final
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. board — to get on
  20. suit — to fit
  21. last — to go on
  22. staff — employees
  23. branch — a division
  24. root — of a plant

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