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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.

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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: row · mug · key · suit · clip · mouse · branch · root

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. clip — to cut
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. clip — a video
  7. root — the cause
  8. clip — for paper
  9. key — the most important part
  10. row — to paddle
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. suit — clothes
  13. key — for a lock
  14. suit — in cards
  15. mug — a cup
  16. branch — a division
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mug — to rob
  19. root — of a plant
  20. mug — a face
  21. row — a line
  22. suit — to fit
  23. root — of a word
  24. key — in music

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