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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 120 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: temple · face · wound · bay · root · rock · tube · branch

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. face — to point toward
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. wound — an injury
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. tube — the underground
  11. root — the cause
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. face — to confront
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. rock — a stone
  21. branch — a division
  22. root — of a word
  23. face — part of the head
  24. rock — music

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