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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 124 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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. root — of a plant
  4. pitch — completely
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. root — of a word
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lean — thin
  17. last — finally
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. date — the fruit
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. root — the cause
  24. last — final

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