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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 116 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: suit · root · perch · degree · tube · branch · bore · bear

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. suit — clothes
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bore — to tire
  6. suit — to fit
  7. branch — a division
  8. perch — the fish
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. root — of a plant
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. degree — temperature
  14. degree — an amount
  15. bear — the animal
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. root — the cause
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — a container
  23. root — of a word
  24. degree — from a university

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