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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: fork · object · clip · cabinet · branch · root · net · tube

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. net — after costs
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. root — of a plant
  6. clip — a video
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. tube — the underground
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. clip — for paper
  11. branch — a division
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. object — an aim
  15. net — in sport
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — to protest
  18. tube — a container
  19. root — the cause
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. clip — to cut
  22. fork — in a road
  23. net — for catching
  24. tube — in a tire

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