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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. root — of a word
  3. craft — a skill
  4. root — of a plant
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. ball — a great time
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. race — humankind
  12. stem — to come from
  13. chip — for betting
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. race — a contest
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bulb — for light
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. chip — to eat
  20. craft — boats
  21. race — the arms race
  22. root — the cause
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. bulb — for light

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