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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: nail · stand · cell · prune · jam · root · field · bark

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  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. root — the cause
  2. root — of a plant
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. stand — to bear
  6. cell — a phone
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bark — to shout
  9. field — for sport
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. prune — to trim
  13. cell — in biology
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. root — of a word
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. field — a subject
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. field — farmland
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  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