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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: branch · saw · band · safe · root · roll · face · fine

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. face — part of the head
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. band — a ring
  5. root — of a plant
  6. roll — a list
  7. face — to confront
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — a division
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. face — to point toward
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. root — of a word
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. fine — all right
  16. band — a music group
  17. root — the cause
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. saw — the tool
  20. roll — a cake
  21. fine — high quality
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. fine — a penalty

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