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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.

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: current · ball · prune · lie · pit · present · land · root

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. present — a gift
  3. prune — to trim
  4. current — happening now
  5. present — the time now
  6. pit — a hole
  7. root — the cause
  8. current — of water
  9. land — to come down
  10. pit — in a race
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. land — a country
  14. current — electric
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. present — there
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. root — of a plant
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. lie — to recline
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a dance
  23. land — ground
  24. lie — an untruth

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