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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: field · root · bank · stem · saw · pitcher · drill · cap

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. drill — a practice
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. root — of a plant
  6. drill — the tool
  7. cap — a lid
  8. cap — of ice
  9. bank — for money
  10. saw — the tool
  11. field — a subject
  12. bank — for money
  13. root — the cause
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — to come from
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. drill — army training
  18. field — farmland
  19. field — for sport
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. bank — of a river
  23. saw — the tool
  24. root — of a word

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