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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: saw · degree · root · prune · bank · safe · mine · bulb

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  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. safe — out of danger
  2. root — of a word
  3. degree — temperature
  4. bank — of a river
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bank — for money
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bulb — for light
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. saw — the tool
  11. degree — an amount
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. degree — from a university
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. root — the cause
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bank — for money
  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