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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 116 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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. cold — not warm
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cold — an illness
  10. board — to get on
  11. stem — to come from
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — music
  14. cap — a hat
  15. suit — clothes
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. board — a committee
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. root — the cause
  21. suit — to fit
  22. root — of a plant
  23. suit — in cards
  24. stem — a stem cell

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