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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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
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: tube · rest · root · cue · branch · pitcher · bark · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. root — the cause
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — a break
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. cue — a hint
  10. branch — a division
  11. tube — the underground
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. root — of a plant
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. rest — what's left
  17. cue — a signal
  18. bark — to shout
  19. root — of a word
  20. cue — for pool
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. tube — a container
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. tube — in a tire

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