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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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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: root · stick · rush · pit · prune · stem · object · dip

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. rush — hurry
  3. root — of a word
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. root — the cause
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stem — to come from
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. object — an aim
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pit — in a race
  14. object — to protest
  15. pit — a hole
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. dip — to sink
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. object — a thing
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. prune — to trim
  23. root — of a plant
  24. dip — a sauce

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