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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. snap — to click
  3. prune — to trim
  4. root — of a word
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. suit — clothes
  7. stand — to bear
  8. root — of a plant
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. root — the cause
  11. row — a line
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. row — to paddle
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. ball — a dance
  18. bore — to drill
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bore — to tire
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — to fit

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