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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: prune · mouse · spell · root · board · ruler

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. 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. board — a flat piece
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. spell — letters
  4. board — to get on
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. prune — to trim
  7. root — the cause
  8. spell — a short time
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. prune — to trim
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. board — a committee
  16. root — of a word
  17. spell — magic
  18. 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