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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. root — of a word
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. wake — a trail
  5. current — electric
  6. season — of the year
  7. roll — a list
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. root — of a plant
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. stem — to come from
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. current — of water
  14. season — in sport
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. spring — the season
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. spring — of water
  21. current — happening now
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. spring — a coil
  24. roll — a cake

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