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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.

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: spring · root · pit · prune · rush · lash · suit · arm

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. suit — to fit
  6. rush — hurry
  7. spring — of water
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. suit — clothes
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — to trim
  15. suit — in cards
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. root — of a word
  19. pit — in a race
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. spring — a coil
  22. root — the cause
  23. root — of a plant
  24. spring — the season

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