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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 120 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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. march — the month
  3. tube — the underground
  4. root — the cause
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. tube — a container
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. root — of a plant
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. board — a committee
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. march — the month
  14. pitch — completely
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. root — of a word
  18. board — to get on
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. march — music
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. tube — in a tire

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