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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: stem · key · clip · prune · root · wake · hide · rock

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. root — of a plant
  3. clip — to cut
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. clip — for paper
  8. root — of a word
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rock — a stone
  11. root — the cause
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. rock — music
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — in music
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. clip — a video
  22. prune — to trim
  23. key — for a lock
  24. stem — to come from

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