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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
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: row · bound · saw · plane · mug · stem · pop · root

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. root — the cause
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. pop — to visit
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. row — a line
  7. bound — obliged
  8. stem — to come from
  9. mug — a face
  10. bound — certain
  11. root — of a word
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. root — of a plant
  14. saw — the tool
  15. row — to paddle
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a cup
  18. pop — music
  19. saw — the tool
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bound — tied together
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. stem — a stem cell

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