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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · root · track · saw · lean · cabinet · stem · perch

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. perch — the fish
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — of a word
  6. track — a song
  7. track — to keep track
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. root — the cause
  10. squash — to crush
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. lean — to bend
  17. saw — the tool
  18. squash — the sport
  19. track — a path
  20. lean — thin
  21. stem — to come from
  22. saw — the tool
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. stem — of a plant

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