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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: roll · branch · dip · hand · root · pitcher · stand · fork

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. roll — a list
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. roll — a cake
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. dip — to sink
  7. stand — to bear
  8. hand — in cards
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. hand — help
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. fork — in a road
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. branch — a division
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. root — of a word
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. root — of a plant

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