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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.

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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. suit — to fit
  4. root — of a plant
  5. kick — in football
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ground — the earth
  8. prune — to trim
  9. root — of a word
  10. suit — clothes
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pound — a weight
  13. ground — crushed
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. wake — a trail
  20. suit — in cards
  21. ground — a position
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. root — the cause
  24. kick — with a leg

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