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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: lie · row · temple · wave · wind · chip · root · stem

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — for betting
  4. wind — moving air
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. stem — to come from
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wind — moving air
  10. root — of a word
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. root — the cause
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. chip — to eat
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. lie — to recline
  22. row — to paddle
  23. row — a line
  24. lie — an untruth

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