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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.

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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: root · branch · spring · game · suit · trunk · fine · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. game — a match
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. root — the cause
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fine — high quality
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. spring — the season
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. suit — in cards
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. suit — clothes
  15. root — of a word
  16. spring — of water
  17. branch — a division
  18. suit — to fit
  19. game — wild animals
  20. fine — all right
  21. root — of a plant
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. spring — a coil
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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