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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 120 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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. root — the cause
  4. march — music
  5. band — a music group
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. cap — of ice
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. rock — music
  11. band — a ring
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. cap — a lid
  16. march — the month
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. rock — a stone
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. march — the month
  21. cap — a hat
  22. root — of a word
  23. root — of a plant
  24. stem — to come from

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