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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. root — of a word
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. firm — a company
  5. firm — steady
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. scale — size or range
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. root — the cause
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. staff — employees
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. mug — to rob
  15. root — of a plant
  16. branch — a division
  17. staff — a stick
  18. firm — decided
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stem — to come from
  21. mug — a face
  22. scale — in music
  23. mug — a cup
  24. branch — of a bank

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