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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. root — of a plant
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. root — the cause
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. object — to protest
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. object — an aim
  10. craft — boats
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mine — for digging
  13. key — in music
  14. object — a thing
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. root — of a word
  19. key — the most important part
  20. craft — a skill
  21. key — for a lock
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. prune — the fruit

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