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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. root — of a word
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. stem — to come from
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. club — a group
  8. club — for dancing
  9. chest — of your body
  10. root — the cause
  11. scale — in music
  12. club — for golf
  13. chest — of your body
  14. rock — music
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. charge — electricity
  19. chest — a box
  20. rock — a stone
  21. root — of a plant
  22. scale — size or range
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — a price

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