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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: root · branch · stand · bear · mouse · spring · hide · rest

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. spring — the season
  3. rest — what's left
  4. spring — a coil
  5. bear — the animal
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. rest — what's left
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. spring — of water
  12. rest — a break
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. branch — a division
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. root — of a word
  21. root — the cause
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. root — of a plant
  24. branch — of a bank

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