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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 · pass · suit · bay · patient · prune · root · row

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. pass — a permit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. root — of a word
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — clothes
  10. root — of a plant
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. row — to paddle
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. suit — in cards
  16. row — a line
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. prune — to trim
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. wake — a trail
  24. root — the cause

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