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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. root — of a plant
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. stem — to come from
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. suit — clothes
  7. root — of a word
  8. suit — in cards
  9. root — the cause
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. ball — a dance
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. club — a group
  14. wound — an injury
  15. club — for dancing
  16. suit — to fit
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. wake — a trail
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wound — an injury
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. club — for golf
  24. ball — a great time

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