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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 116 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: cold · root · suit · capital · cell · craft · stem · bound

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. root — of a plant
  4. root — of a word
  5. bound — tied together
  6. cold — not warm
  7. craft — a skill
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. cold — an illness
  12. bound — obliged
  13. cell — a phone
  14. cell — in biology
  15. stem — to come from
  16. capital — money
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bound — certain
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. capital — a city
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. craft — boats
  24. suit — clothes

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