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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: arm · branch · root · spring · hide · prune · calf · stick

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. root — of a plant
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. prune — to trim
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. spring — the season
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. branch — a division
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. root — of a word
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. prune — to trim
  20. spring — a coil
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. spring — of water

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