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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 116 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: cue · net · stem · rash · leaves · spell · bowl · root

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. spell — a short time
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. spell — magic
  9. net — after costs
  10. cue — a signal
  11. rash — a series
  12. net — for catching
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. root — of a word
  15. cue — a hint
  16. stem — to come from
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. cue — for pool
  19. root — the cause
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. rash — hasty
  22. net — in sport
  23. root — of a plant
  24. bowl — a football final

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