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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.

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
468
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: prune · plane · bass · racket · root · trunk · leaves · drill

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. drill — the tool
  3. root — of a word
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. drill — a practice
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. bass — the fish
  10. plane — a tool
  11. drill — army training
  12. bass — low music
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — to trim
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. root — the cause
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. racket — a loud noise

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