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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: rock · saw · root · spell · lash · capital · pit · prune

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. prune — to trim
  4. spell — a short time
  5. rock — music
  6. saw — the tool
  7. root — the cause
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. pit — a hole
  10. prune — to trim
  11. spell — letters
  12. rock — a stone
  13. spell — magic
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. capital — money
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. root — of a plant
  19. capital — a city
  20. root — of a word
  21. pit — in a race
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. saw — the tool
  24. capital — a big letter

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