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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rush · root · chest · court · racket · calf · branch · firm

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  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. branch — of a bank
  3. firm — a company
  4. court — for sport
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. chest — of your body
  8. chest — of your body
  9. court — of law
  10. court — of a king
  11. firm — steady
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. branch — a division
  15. root — of a word
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. firm — decided
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. chest — a box
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. rush — hurry
  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