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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: wake · object · capital · cue · root · chip · prune · straw

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. cue — a hint
  3. root — the cause
  4. prune — to trim
  5. object — to protest
  6. wake — a trail
  7. cue — a signal
  8. root — of a plant
  9. chip — to eat
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. prune — to trim
  12. cue — for pool
  13. capital — a city
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. object — a thing
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. capital — money
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. chip — for betting
  22. root — of a word
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. object — an aim

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