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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 116 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.

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: mark · bulb · root · cabinet · leaves · prune · cue · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. prune — to trim
  3. mark — a trace
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. bulb — for light
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. prune — to trim
  9. root — the cause
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a hint
  12. mark — a grade
  13. root — of a word
  14. bulb — for light
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. root — of a plant
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cue — a signal
  22. lie — to recline
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. bulb — 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