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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 120 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: leaves · lie · suit · root · stock · fan · row · prune

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — to trim
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — the cause
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. suit — to fit
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. lie — to recline
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. row — a line
  13. suit — in cards
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. root — of a plant
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. suit — clothes
  20. row — to paddle
  21. stock — goods
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stock — shares
  24. stock — a soup base

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