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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 116 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 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. track — a path
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. stem — to come from
  5. bark — to shout
  6. root — of a plant
  7. track — to keep track
  8. suit — to fit
  9. staff — a stick
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. staff — employees
  13. root — the cause
  14. staff — employees
  15. charge — in control
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. present — there
  19. suit — clothes
  20. present — the time now
  21. present — a gift
  22. charge — electricity
  23. track — a song
  24. charge — a price

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