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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. root — of a plant
  3. pop — to visit
  4. bank — for money
  5. pop — music
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bore — to drill
  8. stock — shares
  9. stem — to come from
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a word
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. pop — soda
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bank — for money
  19. stock — goods
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bore — gave birth

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