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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 116 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: prune · rush · root · vault · field · spell · current · can

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. spell — a short time
  3. prune — to trim
  4. current — electric
  5. prune — to trim
  6. can — a tin
  7. rush — hurry
  8. field — a subject
  9. field — farmland
  10. spell — letters
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. spell — magic
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. root — the cause
  16. can — to be able to
  17. root — of a word
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. field — for sport
  20. vault — a safe
  21. current — of water
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. root — of a plant
  24. can — a tin

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