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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
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: root · mark · prune · court · can · cap · plane · content

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. can — a tin
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. can — to be able to
  5. mark — a trace
  6. root — of a word
  7. can — a tin
  8. prune — to trim
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. court — of law
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. court — of a king
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a hat
  17. court — for sport
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. plane — a tool
  21. root — of a plant
  22. content — happy
  23. mark — a grade
  24. content — the amount

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