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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. snap — to click
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a plant
  5. stem — to come from
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — completely
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. lie — to recline
  12. rash — a series
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bat — the animal
  16. rash — hasty
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. rash — on the skin

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