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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: branch · wax · root · trunk · bear · nail · fork · tube

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. tube — a container
  3. root — of a plant
  4. root — of a word
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. fork — in a road
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. root — the cause
  14. branch — a division
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — to grow
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. tube — the underground
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. bear — the animal

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