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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. press — to push
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. perch — the fish
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. march — music
  7. suit — clothes
  8. march — the month
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — the cause
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. suit — in cards
  16. stem — to come from
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. press — a publisher
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. march — the month
  21. suit — to fit
  22. press — newspapers
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. plane — a tool

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