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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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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: bowl · can · branch · root · tear · mate · rash · file

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. root — the cause
  3. mate — to breed
  4. file — a document
  5. root — of a word
  6. mate — a partner
  7. file — a line of people
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. can — to be able to
  11. rash — hasty
  12. can — a tin
  13. rash — a series
  14. file — a tool
  15. mate — a friend
  16. tear — from crying
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. root — of a plant
  19. tear — to rip
  20. branch — a division
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. can — a tin
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. tear — from crying

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