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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 · board · lean · mug · spell · branch · pass · rest

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. lean — to bend
  3. board — to get on
  4. mug — a face
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — a permit
  9. root — of a plant
  10. branch — a division
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. lean — thin
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. rest — what's left
  15. mug — a cup
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. spell — magic
  19. board — a committee
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — letters
  22. rest — a break
  23. mug — to rob
  24. root — the cause

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