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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: face · rash · prune · board · season · branch · root · bark

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. board — to get on
  3. root — the cause
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. season — in sport
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. season — of the year
  12. rash — hasty
  13. board — a committee
  14. root — of a plant
  15. bark — to shout
  16. face — part of the head
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. face — to point toward
  20. branch — a division
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. rash — a series
  23. face — to confront
  24. prune — to trim

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