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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — a stone
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. rest — what's left
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. root — of a plant
  8. stock — goods
  9. root — of a word
  10. plane — a tool
  11. foot — a measure
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. prune — to trim
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. stock — shares
  16. rest — a break
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rock — music
  20. key — in music
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — the most important part
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. root — the cause

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