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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 120 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: nail · bank · root · calf · fan · track · prune · branch

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. branch — a division
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. root — of a plant
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bank — for money
  11. track — a song
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. prune — to trim
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bank — for money
  19. root — the cause
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a path
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. root — of a word

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