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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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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. root — the cause
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. stem — to come from
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. root — of a plant
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. prune — to trim
  12. root — of a word
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. pitch — completely
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. branch — a division

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