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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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. root — the cause
  3. root — of a word
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. rush — hurry
  8. stem — to come from
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. rule — a law
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. wax — to grow
  16. stand — to bear
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. rule — government
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. stem — 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