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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.

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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: root · march · cap · track · lie · kick · stand · stem

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. kick — in football
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. root — the cause
  8. cap — a lid
  9. track — a path
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cap — a hat
  12. march — music
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. march — the month
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. march — the month
  18. stem — to come from
  19. root — of a plant
  20. track — to keep track
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. root — of a word
  23. stand — to bear
  24. kick — a thrill

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