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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: row · ball · bark · mouse · root · content · prune · lie

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bark — to shout
  3. root — of a plant
  4. row — a line
  5. row — to paddle
  6. prune — to trim
  7. content — happy
  8. prune — to trim
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. lie — to recline
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. root — of a word
  16. ball — a great time
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. ball — a dance
  20. root — the cause
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. row — a quarrel

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