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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: staff · temple · object · root · stem · row · spring · coach

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. spring — of water
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. object — an aim
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. row — to paddle
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. object — to protest
  12. stem — to come from
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a word
  15. object — a thing
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — a stick
  18. row — a line
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. spring — a coil
  22. root — of a plant
  23. spring — the season
  24. coach — a trainer

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