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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. squash — the sport
  4. root — the cause
  5. firm — a company
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. foot — a measure
  8. root — of a word
  9. firm — decided
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. present — the time now
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. present — there
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. present — a gift
  17. root — of a plant
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. firm — steady

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