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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. dip — to sink
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. board — a committee
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. race — humankind
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — the cause
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. mark — a trace
  16. roll — a cake
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stem — to come from
  19. race — the arms race
  20. mark — a grade
  21. race — a contest
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. roll — a list

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