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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 116 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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — the cause
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. pound — a weight
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — a thing
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. rule — a law
  11. root — of a plant
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. current — happening now
  14. current — of water
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. current — electric
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rule — government
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. stem — to come from
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. stem — of a plant

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