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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. prune — to trim
  3. root — the cause
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. root — of a word
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. root — of a plant
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. content — the amount
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. content — happy
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. wave — with your hand

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