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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: root · foot · season · charge · temple · bark · branch · stock

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. charge — a price
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. foot — a measure
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. season — in sport
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. charge — in control
  13. root — of a plant
  14. season — of the year
  15. stock — shares
  16. stock — goods
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. branch — a division
  19. charge — electricity
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. root — the cause
  24. root — of a word

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