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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: stick · track · root · branch · ruler · mark · roll · staff

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. track — a song
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. staff — employees
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. track — to keep track
  9. roll — a cake
  10. staff — employees
  11. root — of a word
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. mark — a trace
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mark — a grade
  18. root — the cause
  19. track — a path
  20. branch — a division
  21. root — of a plant
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. roll — a list
  24. staff — a stick

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