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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: lie · root · saw · firm · stem · fan · foot · net

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. root — of a word
  3. net — for catching
  4. saw — the tool
  5. net — after costs
  6. stem — to come from
  7. root — of a plant
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. root — the cause
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. firm — decided
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. firm — a company
  18. net — in sport
  19. firm — steady
  20. lie — to recline
  21. saw — the tool
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — a measure
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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