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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. root — of a word
  3. key — in music
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. scale — in music
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. key — the most important part
  11. root — of a plant
  12. dip — to sink
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. scale — size or range
  20. key — for a lock
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. root — the cause

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