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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. root — of a plant
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. chest — a box
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. root — the cause
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. chest — of your body
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. branch — a division
  17. root — of a word
  18. pound — a weight
  19. chest — of your body
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. deal — to handle
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — the fish
  24. pound — to hit hard

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