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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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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: saw · capital · field · root · cue · charge · lie · branch

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  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. saw — past of 'see'
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. charge — in control
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. field — for sport
  7. root — of a plant
  8. field — farmland
  9. charge — electricity
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. charge — a price
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. field — a subject
  14. cue — a hint
  15. capital — money
  16. root — of a word
  17. lie — to recline
  18. branch — a division
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. capital — a city
  21. cue — a signal
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. cue — for pool
  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