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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.

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: prune · saw · cabinet · key · lean · fine · root · date

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. fine — all right
  3. saw — the tool
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. root — of a plant
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. fine — high quality
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. lean — to bend
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — the most important part
  13. saw — the tool
  14. date — the fruit
  15. key — in music
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. root — the cause
  21. prune — to trim
  22. lean — thin
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. lean — to rest against

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