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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.

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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: chip · root · bear · clip · perch · leaves · bark · tube

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. root — of a plant
  6. clip — for paper
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. clip — to cut
  9. chip — for betting
  10. root — of a word
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. root — the cause
  14. clip — a video
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. tube — the underground
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. tube — a container
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bark — to shout

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