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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: suit · stem · prune · track · mug · root · wound · squash

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. stem — to come from
  3. squash — to crush
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. root — the cause
  7. suit — in cards
  8. mug — a cup
  9. wound — an injury
  10. track — a path
  11. squash — the sport
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. suit — to fit
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a face
  18. prune — to trim
  19. root — of a plant
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. root — of a word
  22. track — a song
  23. suit — clothes
  24. 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