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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: leaves · staff · root · bulb · vault · stock · chest · stem

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. stock — shares
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. bulb — for light
  5. chest — of your body
  6. chest — a box
  7. bulb — for light
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — a stick
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. root — of a plant
  13. staff — employees
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. root — the cause
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stock — goods
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. vault — a safe
  22. stem — to come from
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. chest — of your body

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