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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: tear · root · mug · chair · board · date · racket · stem

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. date — the fruit
  3. board — a committee
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. root — of a plant
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. stem — to come from
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. board — to get on
  11. tear — to rip
  12. mug — a face
  13. root — the cause
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. chair — a leader
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. tear — from crying
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mug — a cup
  22. tear — from crying
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. date — on the calendar

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