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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — to come from
  4. swing — music
  5. bound — obliged
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. bound — tied together
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. swing — to play on
  14. swing — in golf
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bound — certain
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. root — of a plant
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. root — of a word
  22. pound — a weight
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. root — the cause

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