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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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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: field · cabinet · bay · root · date · stem · tear · cue

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. root — of a plant
  3. field — for sport
  4. field — farmland
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. root — of a word
  11. cue — for pool
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. tear — to rip
  20. tear — from crying
  21. root — the cause
  22. field — a subject
  23. stem — to come from
  24. tear — from crying

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