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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: rest · stem · bass · wound · kick · sharp · bay · root

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. stem — to come from
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. rest — a break
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. wound — an injury
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. kick — in football
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. rest — what's left
  14. sharp — clever
  15. wound — an injury
  16. rest — what's left
  17. root — of a word
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. root — of a plant
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the fish
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. kick — with a leg

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