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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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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 · rest · track · stick · fine · root · fork · shower

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. prune — to trim
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fine — high quality
  8. shower — rain
  9. shower — to wash
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. root — of a word
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. track — to keep track
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. fine — all right
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. track — a song
  19. root — the cause
  20. prune — to trim
  21. track — a path
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. root — of a plant
  24. fork — in a road

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