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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. suit — in cards
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. root — the cause
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. craft — boats
  9. root — of a word
  10. suit — clothes
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. rock — music
  15. pass — a permit
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. craft — a skill
  18. rock — a stone
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. suit — to fit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. root — of a plant

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