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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: bark · prune · cabinet · fine · root · cue · cap · current

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. cap — a hat
  5. fine — high quality
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cue — a signal
  9. prune — to trim
  10. fine — all right
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a word
  13. current — of water
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. current — electric
  18. cue — for pool
  19. current — happening now
  20. cue — a hint
  21. root — of a plant
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cap — a lid
  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