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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. march — the month
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. spell — a short time
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. root — of a word
  9. march — the month
  10. chip — for betting
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. march — music
  14. stem — to come from
  15. spell — magic
  16. root — the cause
  17. chip — to eat
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. root — of a plant
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. spell — letters

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