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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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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: mouse · lie · scale · hand · stem · root · fan · foot

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. root — the cause
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. root — of a plant
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. root — of a word
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. lie — to recline
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. scale — size or range
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. hand — help
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. scale — in music
  22. hand — in cards
  23. foot — a measure
  24. fan — to cool the air

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