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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: board · stem · perch · spring · net · sharp · chip · root

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. sharp — clever
  7. chip — to eat
  8. perch — the fish
  9. spring — a coil
  10. net — after costs
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. spring — of water
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. root — the cause
  16. net — for catching
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. chip — for betting
  19. net — in sport
  20. board — to get on
  21. stem — to come from
  22. root — of a word
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. spring — the season

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