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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: patient · branch · root · saw · foot · wound · arm · rush

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. root — the cause
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — hurry
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. root — of a word
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. foot — a measure
  13. saw — the tool
  14. branch — a division
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. saw — the tool
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — an injury
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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