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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: spring · bank · prune · can · root · pit

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. spring — of water
  3. prune — to trim
  4. can — a tin
  5. bank — for money
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bank — of a river
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. bank — for money
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. root — of a word
  13. can — to be able to
  14. pit — a hole
  15. prune — to trim
  16. root — the cause
  17. spring — a coil
  18. can — a tin

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