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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. mate — to breed
  5. root — the cause
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. rock — a stone
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. cell — in biology
  11. root — of a plant
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. chair — a leader
  14. mate — a friend
  15. cell — a phone
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. rock — music
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. mate — a partner
  24. deal — a big deal

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