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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 116 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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. root — of a plant
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. squash — the sport
  5. sharp — clever
  6. suit — in cards
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a word
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. suit — to fit
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. stem — to come from
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. dip — to sink
  18. suit — clothes
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. squash — to crush
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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