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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: foot · mate · bat · spring · stem · root · hide · suit

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. mate — a friend
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. root — of a plant
  5. mate — a partner
  6. root — of a word
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. root — the cause
  9. suit — clothes
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. spring — the season
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. foot — a measure
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. stem — to come from
  19. suit — to fit
  20. mate — to breed
  21. spring — of water
  22. suit — in cards
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. spring — a coil

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