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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 · stand · root · cell · last · temple · ball

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. last — to go on
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — of a plant
  5. prune — to trim
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. last — finally
  10. rash — hasty
  11. prune — to trim
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. cell — a phone
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. cell — in biology
  16. last — final
  17. ball — a dance
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. ball — a great time
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rash — a series
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. stand — on your feet

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