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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: suit · chip · stem · patient · wake · root · kid · arm

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. kid — child
  7. suit — clothes
  8. root — the cause
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. root — of a word
  13. suit — in cards
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. kid — to tease
  17. suit — to fit
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. stem — to come from
  20. wake — a trail
  21. chip — to eat
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. patient — a sick person

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