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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: content · stick · branch · bear · wound · hand · root · mug

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mug — a cup
  9. branch — a division
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. root — the cause
  13. content — the amount
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bear — the animal
  16. mug — a face
  17. hand — in cards
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. hand — help
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. wound — an injury
  23. root — of a plant
  24. content — happy

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