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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: leaves · prune · hide · root · row · bore · branch · trunk

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. branch — a division
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. row — to paddle
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bore — to drill
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — the cause
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. root — of a plant
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. prune — to trim
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bore — to tire
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. row — a line

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