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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 116 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. dip — to sink
  3. root — the cause
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. key — the most important part
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. fall — to drop
  9. root — of a word
  10. lie — to recline
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. root — of a plant
  13. wax — to grow
  14. lean — thin
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. fall — the season
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. key — in music
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. lean — to bend
  21. fall — to drop
  22. key — for a lock
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. lie — an untruth

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