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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: mug · clip · root · board · land · nail · branch · fork

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. root — of a plant
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. clip — to cut
  8. land — a country
  9. fork — in a road
  10. board — to get on
  11. clip — a video
  12. branch — a division
  13. land — ground
  14. root — the cause
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. root — of a word
  17. mug — to rob
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. mug — a cup
  20. mug — a face
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. clip — for paper
  23. board — a committee
  24. nail — on a finger

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