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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.

Make a worksheet

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: root · leaves · prune · hand · wave · hide · spring · arm

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. root — of a plant
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. hand — help
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. prune — to trim
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. root — of a word
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hand — in cards
  17. spring — a coil
  18. prune — to trim
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. root — the cause
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. spring — of water
  24. hide — to keep secret

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