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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.

Words on the sheet
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: lean · root · drill · prune · jam · swing · roll · leaves

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  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. swing — to play on
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. drill — a practice
  4. drill — the tool
  5. drill — army training
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. roll — a list
  8. swing — in golf
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. root — of a word
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lean — thin
  15. root — the cause
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. lean — to bend
  18. swing — music
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. roll — a cake
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — to trim
  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