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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: mate · fork · mouse · dip · temple · prune · root · object

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  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. dip — to dunk
  2. root — of a word
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. dip — to sink
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. prune — to trim
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. object — an aim
  12. mate — to breed
  13. fork — in a road
  14. root — of a plant
  15. mate — a friend
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. object — to protest
  19. object — a thing
  20. prune — to trim
  21. root — the cause
  22. mate — a partner
  23. fork — a garden tool
  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