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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: patient · wave · root · pit · fine · branch · prune · stand

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. root — of a plant
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. prune — to trim
  11. root — the cause
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. pit — in a race
  14. fine — all right
  15. stand — to bear
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. pit — a hole
  20. fine — high quality
  21. branch — a division
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. prune — to trim

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