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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: wave · prune · foot · pop · saw · stem · squash · rest

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. pop — music
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. pop — soda
  9. saw — the tool
  10. prune — to trim
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. squash — to crush
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pop — to visit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. stem — to come from
  17. rest — a break
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. rest — what's left
  23. saw — the tool
  24. squash — the sport

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