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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
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: clip · perch · suit · branch · patient · drill · root · bark

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. root — the cause
  3. clip — to cut
  4. clip — a video
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. root — of a word
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. perch — the fish
  9. clip — for paper
  10. branch — a division
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. suit — clothes
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. drill — a practice
  16. drill — the tool
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bark — to shout
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. root — of a plant
  21. drill — army training
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bark — of a tree

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