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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 120 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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. root — the cause
  3. stem — to come from
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. scale — in music
  6. club — for golf
  7. club — for dancing
  8. mark — a trace
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — a tool
  14. scale — size or range
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. root — of a plant
  17. club — a group
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. bear — the animal
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mark — a grade
  24. mark — to pay attention

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