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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: mug · roll · stem · jam · key · wax · ground · root

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. key — for a lock
  3. stem — to come from
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. root — of a plant
  6. mug — a cup
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. root — the cause
  9. mug — a face
  10. key — the most important part
  11. key — in music
  12. ground — the earth
  13. root — of a word
  14. mug — to rob
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. ground — crushed
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. roll — a list
  20. wax — to grow
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. roll — a cake
  23. ground — a position
  24. wax — for sculpting

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