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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: fork · coach · root · pit · branch · press · ground · bank

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. press — to push
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bank — for money
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. root — of a word
  7. press — newspapers
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a hole
  10. branch — a division
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. root — the cause
  14. bank — for money
  15. fork — in a road
  16. ground — crushed
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. ground — a position
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. ground — the earth
  22. press — a publisher
  23. bank — of a river
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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