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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: prune · current · nail · firm · stem · racket · root · craft

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — to trim
  3. root — of a plant
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — a company
  6. current — electric
  7. craft — boats
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. root — the cause
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. current — happening now
  16. craft — a skill
  17. stem — to come from
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. root — of a word
  22. firm — steady
  23. current — of water
  24. nail — on a finger

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