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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: row · branch · root · key · bark · plane · rock · cap

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. rock — music
  3. cap — a hat
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. root — the cause
  9. cap — of ice
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. root — of a word
  12. key — for a lock
  13. cap — a lid
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. key — the most important part
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. row — a line
  18. bark — to shout
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. root — of a plant
  21. row — to paddle
  22. rock — a stone
  23. key — in music
  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