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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. fine — high quality
  4. root — of a plant
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stand — to bear
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bass — low music
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. root — the cause
  11. stem — to come from
  12. bass — the fish
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. fine — all right
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. root — of a word
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bass — the instrument

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