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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: can · stick · stem · swing · pop · mouse · last · root

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. swing — in golf
  4. pop — music
  5. pop — soda
  6. root — of a plant
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. root — the cause
  9. pop — to visit
  10. can — a tin
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. swing — to play on
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. last — to go on
  15. stem — to come from
  16. root — of a word
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. last — finally
  19. swing — music
  20. can — a tin
  21. last — final
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. can — to be able to

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