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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stem · content · fan · saw · racket · pit · pass · root

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pit — in a race
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. root — of a word
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. root — the cause
  9. saw — the tool
  10. content — the amount
  11. stem — to come from
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pit — a hole
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. content — happy
  22. pass — a permit
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — a loud noise

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