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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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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: dip · key · kick · fine · prune · root · kid · branch

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. kid — child
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. key — for a lock
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. prune — to trim
  12. dip — to sink
  13. key — the most important part
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. key — in music
  16. fine — all right
  17. root — the cause
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. root — of a plant
  20. branch — a division
  21. fine — high quality
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. kid — to tease
  24. dip — a sauce

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