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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.

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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: prune · safe · lash · root · fall · bass · face · bulb

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. root — of a word
  4. prune — to trim
  5. fall — to drop
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. fall — to drop
  8. root — the cause
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the fish
  11. prune — to trim
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. face — to confront
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. face — to point toward
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. face — part of the head
  20. bulb — for light
  21. root — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. fall — the season
  24. bass — the instrument

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