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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 120 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: stem · root · hand · saw · hide · ball · stand · bass

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. root — of a word
  3. saw — the tool
  4. root — the cause
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. hand — help
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. hand — in cards
  10. saw — the tool
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. root — of a plant
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bass — low music
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. ball — a great time
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. ball — a dance
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bass — the fish

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