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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.

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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: prune · leaves · cold · firm · stand · root · safe · wound

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. root — of a word
  3. stand — to bear
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. prune — to trim
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. wound — an injury
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. firm — steady
  17. cold — an illness
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. firm — decided
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. firm — a company
  23. root — of a plant
  24. cold — not warm

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