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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: straw · perch · fork · root · branch · bound · hide · calf

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. fork — in a road
  3. root — of a plant
  4. root — the cause
  5. bound — tied together
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. perch — the fish
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. branch — a division
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. bound — obliged
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. straw — dry grass
  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