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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. stand — to bear
  3. root — of a plant
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. saw — the tool
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. can — a tin
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. root — of a word
  11. can — to be able to
  12. pit — a hole
  13. content — happy
  14. root — the cause
  15. can — a tin
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stem — to come from
  21. content — the amount
  22. saw — the tool
  23. pit — in a race
  24. stand — on your feet

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