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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: saw · can · present · straw · spring · stem · rush · root

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. stem — to come from
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. root — of a word
  5. spring — of water
  6. root — the cause
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. root — of a plant
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. can — a tin
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. spring — the season
  16. spring — a coil
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. can — a tin
  20. present — the time now
  21. present — there
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. saw — the tool
  24. present — a gift

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