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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: ruler · root · prune · perch · bark · wound · trunk · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. root — of a plant
  4. root — of a word
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. bark — to shout
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. root — the cause
  16. wound — an injury
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. prune — to trim
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. perch — the fish
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. prune — to trim

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