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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: club · lean · prune · stick · chip · spring · root · suit

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. root — the cause
  3. suit — in cards
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. spring — a coil
  6. chip — to eat
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. root — of a plant
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. root — of a word
  11. suit — to fit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. lean — to bend
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. club — for dancing
  16. club — for golf
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. suit — clothes
  20. spring — of water
  21. chip — for betting
  22. lean — thin
  23. club — a group
  24. spring — the season

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