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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  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. stand — on your feet
  2. hand — help
  3. root — of a word
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stand — to bear
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. hand — in cards
  12. tube — the underground
  13. lie — to recline
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. bulb — for light
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. root — the cause
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. tube — a container
  23. lie — an untruth
  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