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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: file · wound · rock · jam · root · bass · branch · coach

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. root — of a word
  4. wound — an injury
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. rock — a stone
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. bass — low music
  12. file — a line of people
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. root — the cause
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. wound — an injury
  17. file — a tool
  18. branch — a division
  19. rock — music
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. file — a document
  22. bass — the fish
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. coach — a trainer

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