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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. root — the cause
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. root — of a word
  5. race — humankind
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. pop — music
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. pop — soda
  11. pop — to visit
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. toast — bread
  14. race — a contest
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. root — of a plant
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. wake — a trail
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. race — the arms race
  23. prune — to trim
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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