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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 116 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: stem · sharp · kick · file · root · can · branch · march

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. march — the month
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. root — of a plant
  6. can — to be able to
  7. kick — in football
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. march — the month
  12. root — of a word
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. file — a tool
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. stem — to come from
  18. march — music
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. file — a line of people
  21. branch — a division
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. file — a document
  24. stem — a stem cell

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