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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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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: prune · jam · cue · pop · roll · root · stem · swing

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. cue — for pool
  3. swing — music
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. cue — a hint
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. roll — a list
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. cue — a signal
  12. root — of a plant
  13. prune — to trim
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. roll — a cake
  16. root — of a word
  17. swing — in golf
  18. pop — music
  19. pop — soda
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. swing — to play on
  22. pop — to visit
  23. root — the cause
  24. prune — to trim

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