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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. stem — to come from
  4. lie — to recline
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. root — of a plant
  10. shower — to wash
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. foot — a measure
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. root — the cause
  15. stock — goods
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — high quality
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. fine — all right
  22. root — of a word
  23. bulb — for light
  24. stock — shares

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