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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.

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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: straw · branch · root · can · racket · rule · bore · bear

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. bore — to drill
  5. rule — a law
  6. root — of a word
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rule — government
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. root — of a plant
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. branch — a division
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. root — the cause
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. racket — a loud noise

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