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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stem · rush · file · fan · prune · root · lash · wound

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  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. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. root — of a word
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. file — a line of people
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rush — hurry
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. prune — to trim
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. file — a document
  15. root — of a plant
  16. stem — to come from
  17. file — a tool
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — an injury
  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