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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: prune · perch · lie · bound · shower · root · fork · cue

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. shower — rain
  3. root — of a plant
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bound — certain
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. root — the cause
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. root — of a word
  12. lie — to recline
  13. perch — the fish
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. fork — in a road
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bound — tied together
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bound — obliged
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. prune — to trim
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cue — a signal

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