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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 120 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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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: object · degree · root · prune · cap · stem · hide · pass

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. degree — from a university
  4. root — of a word
  5. cap — of ice
  6. prune — to trim
  7. cap — a lid
  8. root — the cause
  9. object — an aim
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. prune — to trim
  13. degree — an amount
  14. object — to protest
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — a permit
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. degree — temperature
  21. object — a thing
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stem — to come from
  24. cap — a hat

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