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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 116 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: ball · branch · scale · suit · mate · field · saw · root

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. root — of a word
  4. mate — a partner
  5. root — of a plant
  6. suit — to fit
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. field — a subject
  9. ball — a dance
  10. saw — the tool
  11. scale — size or range
  12. branch — a division
  13. scale — in music
  14. field — farmland
  15. mate — to breed
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — clothes
  18. saw — the tool
  19. root — the cause
  20. mate — a friend
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. ball — a great time
  24. scale — for weighing

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