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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
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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: clip · coach · bound · fork · saw · leaves · bank · root

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bank — for money
  5. bound — obliged
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. clip — to cut
  12. saw — the tool
  13. root — of a plant
  14. clip — a video
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. bank — for money
  17. root — of a word
  18. fork — in a road
  19. saw — the tool
  20. clip — for paper
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. bank — of a river
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. root — the cause

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