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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 · stem · spell · foot · squash · fork · lie · hide

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. squash — the sport
  8. fork — in a road
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. stem — to come from
  16. spell — magic
  17. spell — letters
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. lie — to recline
  20. spell — a short time
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. prune — to trim
  24. squash — the vegetable

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