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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 116 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 · prune · cabinet · branch · object · cold · calf · bank

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bank — of a river
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. object — a thing
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. branch — a division
  8. object — to protest
  9. bank — for money
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. root — of a plant
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bank — for money
  14. prune — to trim
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cold — not warm
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. root — of a word
  19. root — the cause
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. object — an aim
  22. cold — an illness
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. branch — 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