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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. firm — a company
  5. cue — a hint
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — a thing
  9. firm — decided
  10. object — to protest
  11. stem — to come from
  12. band — a music group
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. firm — steady
  16. root — the cause
  17. mark — a trace
  18. cue — a signal
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — to bear
  21. root — of a word
  22. mark — a grade
  23. cue — for pool
  24. band — a ring

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