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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. stem — to come from
  5. mark — a grade
  6. root — the cause
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. bulb — for light
  10. branch — a division
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. root — of a word
  14. craft — boats
  15. bulb — for light
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. cell — a phone
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. mark — a trace
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. craft — a skill
  24. root — of a plant

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