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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 116 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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. root — of a plant
  5. bear — the animal
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. perch — the fish
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. rock — a stone
  12. bear — the animal
  13. root — the cause
  14. current — electric
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. stem — to come from
  17. current — happening now
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. current — of water
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. rock — music
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. racket — for tennis

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