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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: branch · rock · root · degree · fork · pass · pitcher · sharp

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. sharp — clever
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. rock — a stone
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a word
  14. rock — music
  15. degree — from a university
  16. pass — a permit
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. branch — a division
  19. root — of a plant
  20. fork — in a road
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. degree — an amount
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. degree — temperature

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