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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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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 · bear · bark · root · dip · stem · cabinet · temple

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bear — the animal
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. dip — to sink
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. prune — to trim
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. prune — to trim
  9. root — of a word
  10. root — the cause
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. root — of a plant
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. stem — to come from
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bear — the animal

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