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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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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: root · stem · wake · face · bulb · firm · date · foot

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. firm — steady
  4. root — of a word
  5. bulb — for light
  6. firm — decided
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. firm — a company
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wake — a trail
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. face — to point toward
  13. face — part of the head
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. date — the fruit
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. root — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. foot — a measure
  22. root — the cause
  23. face — to confront
  24. stem — to come from

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