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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
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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: object · lie · wake · prune · cell · hand · root · branch

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. branch — a division
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. cell — a phone
  12. object — to protest
  13. object — an aim
  14. cell — in biology
  15. object — a thing
  16. root — of a word
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. hand — help
  19. lie — to recline
  20. wake — a trail
  21. prune — to trim
  22. root — the cause
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. hand — in cards

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