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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. game — wild animals
  5. root — the cause
  6. root — of a plant
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. pop — soda
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. rush — hurry
  11. pop — music
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stand — to bear
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. root — of a word
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pop — to visit
  22. game — a match
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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