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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: root · trunk · hide · suit · calf · stock · chest · branch

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. suit — in cards
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. root — of a word
  5. chest — of your body
  6. chest — a box
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. suit — to fit
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. stock — goods
  14. suit — clothes
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. root — of a plant
  17. stock — shares
  18. chest — of your body
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. root — the cause
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. branch — a division
  24. calf — a young animal

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