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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: saw · bank · racket · ball · root · branch · cap · spring

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. root — of a plant
  4. ball — a great time
  5. cap — of ice
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. cap — a lid
  8. cap — a hat
  9. bank — of a river
  10. ball — a dance
  11. spring — a coil
  12. root — the cause
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. root — of a word
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. bank — for money
  17. spring — the season
  18. saw — the tool
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bank — for money
  21. saw — the tool
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. spring — of water

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