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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: root · last · prune · lash · racket · bulb · deal · capital

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bulb — for light
  4. last — finally
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. root — of a plant
  7. prune — to trim
  8. last — to go on
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. last — final
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. prune — to trim
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. capital — a city
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bulb — for light
  19. root — of a word
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. root — the cause
  22. capital — money
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. racket — a loud noise

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