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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. can — a tin
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. suit — in cards
  5. band — a music group
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. root — the cause
  9. can — to be able to
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. suit — to fit
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. can — a tin
  15. foot — a measure
  16. stem — to come from
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. root — of a plant
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. root — of a word

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