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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 120 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: stem · face · board · coach · club · object · cue · root

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. face — part of the head
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. cue — a hint
  6. root — of a word
  7. club — for golf
  8. object — an aim
  9. face — to confront
  10. root — of a plant
  11. cue — a signal
  12. object — a thing
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. board — to get on
  15. object — to protest
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. face — to point toward
  19. root — the cause
  20. board — a committee
  21. club — for dancing
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. cue — for pool
  24. club — a group

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