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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: root · prune · stick · perch · pit · jam · rule · lean

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rule — a law
  4. perch — the fish
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. lean — thin
  8. root — of a word
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. rule — government
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. pit — in a race
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. root — the cause
  18. lean — to bend
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. prune — to trim
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. pit — a hole
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. jam — a tight spot

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