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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: pop · stem · degree · track · root · pitch · safe · hide

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — the cause
  4. track — a song
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pop — music
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. degree — an amount
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. stem — to come from
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. pop — to visit
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. degree — from a university
  20. track — to keep track
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. degree — temperature
  23. root — of a plant
  24. track — a path

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