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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: craft · root · branch · plane · rule · leaves · pitcher · spring

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. plane — a tool
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. rule — a law
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. spring — a coil
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. craft — a skill
  12. root — of a plant
  13. craft — boats
  14. rule — government
  15. root — of a word
  16. root — the cause
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. spring — the season
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. spring — of water
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. branch — a division

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