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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
468
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: board · root · fall · ball · leaves · stem · prune · staff

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. root — of a plant
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. ball — a great time
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. staff — employees
  12. prune — to trim
  13. board — a committee
  14. staff — employees
  15. root — of a word
  16. ball — a dance
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. fall — to drop
  19. staff — a stick
  20. fall — the season
  21. root — the cause
  22. board — to get on
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. fall — to drop

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