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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 120 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 · rash · root · bound · wake · perch · rush · arm

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. root — the cause
  3. prune — to trim
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — the fish
  8. bound — tied together
  9. root — of a plant
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. root — of a word
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. rash — a series
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. wake — a trail
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bound — obliged
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. prune — to trim
  24. arm — a part of something

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