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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: root · straw · prune · band · dip · plane · racket · bound

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. root — of a word
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. dip — to sink
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bound — certain
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bound — obliged
  10. root — the cause
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. root — of a plant
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. prune — to trim
  17. band — a ring
  18. plane — a tool
  19. band — a music group
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bound — tied together

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