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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: date · hand · rush · prune · root · land · stick · deal

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. root — of a plant
  3. deal — to handle
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. land — to come down
  6. date — the fruit
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — hurry
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. hand — in cards
  13. prune — to trim
  14. root — the cause
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. hand — help
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. land — ground
  20. land — a country
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. prune — to trim
  24. deal — an agreement

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