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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. root — the cause
  3. suit — clothes
  4. land — to come down
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. land — ground
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. date — the fruit
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. rock — a stone
  12. suit — to fit
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cap — a lid
  15. root — of a word
  16. root — of a plant
  17. land — a country
  18. suit — in cards
  19. stem — to come from
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cap — of ice
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. cabinet — ministers

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