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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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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 · current · prune · dip · wake · root · straw · ball

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. root — of a plant
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. current — happening now
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. root — of a word
  9. prune — to trim
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a dance
  15. current — electric
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. stem — to come from
  18. current — of water
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. root — the cause
  21. prune — to trim
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. dip — to sink
  24. ball — a round shape

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