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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: file · saw · root · net · prune · lean · bay · nail

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. prune — to trim
  5. net — for catching
  6. file — a line of people
  7. file — a document
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. prune — to trim
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. root — of a plant
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. net — in sport
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. root — the cause
  21. file — a tool
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to bend
  24. net — after costs

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