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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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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: capital · prune · straw · pass · rest · rush · root · patient

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. rush — hurry
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. prune — to trim
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. capital — money
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. prune — to trim
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — a break
  16. root — the cause
  17. root — of a plant
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. pass — a permit
  23. rest — what's left
  24. capital — a city

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