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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. root — of a word
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. root — of a plant
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. rock — music
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. rock — a stone
  18. squash — the sport
  19. squash — to crush
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. root — the cause
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. cabinet — ministers

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