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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 ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. can — a tin
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cold — an illness
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. roll — a cake
  9. can — to be able to
  10. root — the cause
  11. wound — an injury
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. deal — to handle
  15. wound — an injury
  16. root — of a word
  17. roll — a list
  18. root — of a plant
  19. cold — not warm
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. can — a tin
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. deal — a big deal
  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