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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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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: board · cap · prune · trunk · perch · pitch · root · lash

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. cap — a lid
  5. board — to get on
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. pitch — completely
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. perch — the fish
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. board — a committee
  16. cap — of ice
  17. root — the cause
  18. cap — a hat
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — to trim
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. root — of a word

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