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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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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: firm · prune · root · fan · saw · perch

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. prune — to trim
  3. firm — decided
  4. saw — the tool
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. root — of a plant
  7. perch — the fish
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. firm — a company
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. firm — steady
  15. saw — the tool
  16. root — of a word
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. prune — to trim

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