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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: root · rush · lean · field · last · toast · stem · chip

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. field — farmland
  3. field — a subject
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. chip — for betting
  6. root — of a plant
  7. last — to go on
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. chip — to eat
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. stem — to come from
  13. last — finally
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. field — for sport
  18. lean — to bend
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. lean — thin
  21. root — of a word
  22. root — the cause
  23. rush — hurry
  24. last — final

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