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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cue — a hint
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. cue — for pool
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. fork — in a road
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — of a plant
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. foot — a measure
  16. root — the cause
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. stem — to come from
  20. squash — the sport
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. sharp — clever
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. squash — to crush

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