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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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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: root · pass · pit · club · present · branch · suit · racket

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. present — a gift
  5. branch — a division
  6. club — a group
  7. present — there
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. present — the time now
  10. pass — a permit
  11. suit — in cards
  12. root — the cause
  13. suit — clothes
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. suit — to fit
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. club — for dancing
  20. pit — a hole
  21. root — of a plant
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. club — for golf
  24. pit — in a race

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