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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: ruler · last · stock · bowl · prune · root · craft · dip

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. craft — a skill
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. root — the cause
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. stock — shares
  15. craft — boats
  16. last — final
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. dip — to sink
  20. prune — to trim
  21. last — finally
  22. root — of a word
  23. prune — to trim
  24. last — to go on

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