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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: mouse · tube · branch · nail · root · hand · file · suit

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. file — a document
  3. suit — to fit
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. suit — clothes
  7. root — of a plant
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. tube — the underground
  11. file — a line of people
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. root — of a word
  15. root — the cause
  16. suit — in cards
  17. tube — a container
  18. file — a tool
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. hand — in cards
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. branch — a division

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