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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. rest — what's left
  4. chip — to eat
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. saw — the tool
  9. root — of a word
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. root — of a plant
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bear — the animal
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. rest — a break
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. chip — for betting
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — to cool the air

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