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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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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: ball · prune · bank · root · trunk · foot · arm · snap

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. root — the cause
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. foot — a measure
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. root — of a word
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bank — for money
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. snap — to click
  17. bank — for money
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. root — of a plant
  20. bank — of a river
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a dance
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  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