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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 120 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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. root — the cause
  3. scale — in music
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. craft — a skill
  8. root — of a word
  9. squash — the sport
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. last — final
  13. root — of a plant
  14. stock — shares
  15. last — finally
  16. squash — to crush
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stock — goods
  19. craft — boats
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. last — to go on
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stem — to come from

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