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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.

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: prune · bowl · root · club · dip · scale · march · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. march — the month
  3. root — the cause
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. scale — in music
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. club — for dancing
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. club — a group
  12. prune — to trim
  13. march — music
  14. root — of a plant
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. scale — size or range
  18. dip — to sink
  19. prune — to trim
  20. root — of a word
  21. club — for golf
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. march — the month

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