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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: squash · tear · root · fork · dip · can · season · stem

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. root — the cause
  3. season — in sport
  4. stem — to come from
  5. root — of a word
  6. fork — in a road
  7. tear — to rip
  8. root — of a plant
  9. tear — from crying
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. tear — from crying
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. can — to be able to
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. squash — to crush
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. season — of the year
  19. can — a tin
  20. squash — the sport
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. dip — to sink
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. can — a tin

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