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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. cue — for pool
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. cue — a hint
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. tube — the underground
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a word
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. pit — in a race
  15. pit — a hole
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. vault — a safe
  18. root — of a plant
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. foot — a measure
  21. cue — a signal
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. perch — the fish
  24. tube — a container

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