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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: content · branch · cue · plane · roll · root · racket · deal

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. root — of a word
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. cue — a hint
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. deal — to handle
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. cue — for pool
  12. roll — a list
  13. root — the cause
  14. branch — a division
  15. roll — a cake
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. plane — a tool
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. cue — a signal
  21. root — of a plant
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. content — happy

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