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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. prune — to trim
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. scale — size or range
  8. pass — a permit
  9. scale — in music
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. stem — to come from
  17. root — of a word
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. root — of a plant
  20. prune — to trim
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. prune — the fruit

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