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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: root · rock · lash · prune · scale · chair · land · safe

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. prune — to trim
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. root — of a word
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. scale — size or range
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. land — ground
  12. land — a country
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. root — of a plant
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. prune — to trim
  17. scale — in music
  18. root — the cause
  19. rock — music
  20. chair — a leader
  21. rock — a stone
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. prune — the fruit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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