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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
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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: chest · root · fan · bulb · field · suit · stem · stand

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — of a plant
  4. chest — of your body
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. suit — in cards
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. chest — of your body
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. field — farmland
  12. bulb — for light
  13. suit — clothes
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. field — for sport
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. field — a subject
  18. suit — to fit
  19. stem — to come from
  20. bulb — for light
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. root — the cause

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