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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.

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: root · row · prune · scale · rule · lie · tube · craft

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. rule — government
  3. root — the cause
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — boats
  6. root — of a word
  7. root — of a plant
  8. scale — size or range
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. row — to paddle
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. tube — a container
  15. craft — a skill
  16. tube — the underground
  17. prune — to trim
  18. row — a line
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. lie — to recline
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. rule — a law
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. prune — to trim

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