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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.

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: present · root · mug · prune · mark · rock · roll · mouse

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. mark — a trace
  7. root — the cause
  8. prune — to trim
  9. present — there
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — of a word
  13. roll — a cake
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — to rob
  16. rock — music
  17. roll — a list
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. rock — a stone
  21. present — the time now
  22. present — a gift
  23. mug — a face
  24. mark — a grade

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