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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. capital — money
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. suit — to fit
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. root — of a plant
  7. spell — a short time
  8. object — a thing
  9. file — a tool
  10. object — an aim
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. stem — to come from
  13. spell — magic
  14. suit — clothes
  15. file — a line of people
  16. file — a document
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. root — of a word
  20. capital — a city
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. spell — letters
  23. suit — in cards
  24. object — to protest

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