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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: firm · bore · perch · prune · date · root · squash · march

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. march — the month
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — to tire
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. root — the cause
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — the fruit
  12. perch — the fish
  13. firm — steady
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — to crush
  17. prune — to trim
  18. firm — a company
  19. march — music
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. firm — decided
  22. prune — to trim
  23. march — the month
  24. root — of a plant

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