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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: branch · bass · firm · march · lash · game · root · bulb

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. march — the month
  3. root — the cause
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. root — of a plant
  6. root — of a word
  7. bulb — for light
  8. march — music
  9. branch — a division
  10. game — wild animals
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. game — a match
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — steady
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the fish
  23. march — the month
  24. bulb — for light

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