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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 need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. cell — in biology
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — of a plant
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. file — a document
  9. cell — a phone
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. land — ground
  13. press — newspapers
  14. press — to push
  15. file — a tool
  16. craft — a skill
  17. net — for catching
  18. net — after costs
  19. press — a publisher
  20. net — in sport
  21. file — a line of people
  22. land — a country
  23. land — to come down
  24. craft — boats

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