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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: wake · trunk · press · roll · rest · root · bank · branch

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. press — a publisher
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. root — of a plant
  5. wake — a trail
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — of a river
  9. rest — a break
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. root — the cause
  12. branch — a division
  13. rest — what's left
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. roll — a cake
  16. press — newspapers
  17. bank — for money
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. rest — what's left
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. press — to push
  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