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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: firm · field · root · deal · staff · prune · row · object

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. row — a line
  3. firm — a company
  4. object — a thing
  5. staff — employees
  6. row — to paddle
  7. staff — a stick
  8. root — of a word
  9. field — for sport
  10. object — an aim
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. staff — employees
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. firm — steady
  15. field — farmland
  16. firm — decided
  17. root — the cause
  18. prune — to trim
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. field — a subject
  21. prune — to trim
  22. root — of a plant
  23. deal — to handle
  24. object — to protest

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