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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: mine · rash · calf · ball · fine · branch · root · firm

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. root — of a plant
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. root — the cause
  6. branch — a division
  7. ball — a great time
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. fine — high quality
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. firm — a company
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. root — of a word
  16. firm — decided
  17. ball — a dance
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. rash — a series
  21. firm — steady
  22. fine — all right
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. rash — hasty

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