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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: branch · squash · root · bear · wind · saw · court · suit

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. court — for sport
  3. bear — the animal
  4. branch — a division
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bear — the animal
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. root — of a word
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. squash — the sport
  14. saw — the tool
  15. root — of a plant
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. court — of law
  19. court — of a king
  20. suit — in cards
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. saw — the tool
  23. wind — moving air
  24. squash — to crush

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