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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. root — of a plant
  3. root — the cause
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — an injury
  6. prune — to trim
  7. plane — a tool
  8. suit — in cards
  9. chip — to eat
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. root — of a word
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. pop — soda
  14. suit — clothes
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. pop — to visit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. chip — for betting
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. pop — music

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