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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bound — certain
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wake — a trail
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — of a plant
  9. spell — letters
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. rash — hasty
  12. dip — to sink
  13. season — of the year
  14. spell — magic
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. stem — to come from
  18. rash — a series
  19. bound — tied together
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. bound — obliged
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. season — in sport

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