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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: prune · toast · firm · lash · ground · root · board · track

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. track — to keep track
  3. root — the cause
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. ground — crushed
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. firm — a company
  9. track — a path
  10. ground — a position
  11. root — of a plant
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. board — a committee
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. track — a song
  16. firm — decided
  17. prune — to trim
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. toast — bread
  20. ground — the earth
  21. board — to get on
  22. prune — to trim
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. firm — steady

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