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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 120 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: bear · cabinet · perch · key · safe · row · root · prune

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. root — of a plant
  3. bear — the animal
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. root — of a word
  6. key — the most important part
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. row — a line
  14. prune — to trim
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. key — in music
  18. prune — to trim
  19. root — the cause
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. row — to paddle
  22. key — for a lock
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — the fish

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