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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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468
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: pass · pitcher · stick · craft · mark · roll · root · prune

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. mark — a trace
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. craft — boats
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. mark — a grade
  9. prune — to trim
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. root — of a word
  13. pass — a permit
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. root — the cause
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. roll — a list
  22. craft — a skill
  23. roll — a cake
  24. root — of a plant

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