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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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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: patient · clip · wake · root · mouse · rest · prune · hide

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. root — the cause
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. rest — a break
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. clip — for paper
  9. clip — to cut
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. wake — a trail
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. clip — a video
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. rest — what's left
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. root — of a word
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. rest — what's left
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — to trim

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