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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. race — the arms race
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. spell — magic
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. root — the cause
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. stem — to come from
  11. ball — a dance
  12. race — humankind
  13. spell — a short time
  14. ball — a great time
  15. root — of a word
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. spell — letters
  18. tube — the underground
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. race — a contest
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. tube — a container
  24. perch — the fish

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