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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.

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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: mug · press · root · straw · foot · roll · firm · prune

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. roll — a cake
  3. press — newspapers
  4. firm — steady
  5. root — of a plant
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mug — a face
  10. firm — decided
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. root — of a word
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. mug — a cup
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. firm — a company
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. press — to push
  19. foot — a measure
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. roll — a list
  22. press — a publisher
  23. root — the cause
  24. straw — dry grass

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