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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: last · perch · root · cabinet · lash · tube · prune · temple

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. prune — to trim
  4. root — of a word
  5. last — final
  6. last — finally
  7. root — of a plant
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. last — to go on
  14. tube — a container
  15. perch — the fish
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. prune — to trim
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. root — the cause

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