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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mark · prune · saw · leaves · wound · root · jam · present

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. root — of a plant
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a word
  6. mark — a trace
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. present — a gift
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. mark — a grade
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — there
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. prune — to trim
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. prune — to trim
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. wound — an injury

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