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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: prune · ground · saw · spell · root · lean · firm · rock

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. rock — a stone
  4. ground — the earth
  5. firm — steady
  6. prune — to trim
  7. ground — a position
  8. spell — letters
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. root — of a word
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. rock — music
  14. firm — a company
  15. lean — thin
  16. saw — the tool
  17. lean — to bend
  18. saw — the tool
  19. spell — a short time
  20. spell — magic
  21. prune — to trim
  22. ground — crushed
  23. firm — decided
  24. root — of a plant

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