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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 120 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: root · safe · craft · suit · tear · prune · kick · spell

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. prune — to trim
  3. spell — a short time
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a plant
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. spell — magic
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — in cards
  10. craft — a skill
  11. tear — to rip
  12. spell — letters
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. prune — to trim
  15. kick — in football
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. craft — boats
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. tear — from crying
  21. root — of a word
  22. tear — from crying
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. suit — to fit

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