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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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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: lash · nail · root · pit · tear · pop · stem · bound

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. stem — to come from
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pit — a hole
  5. root — of a word
  6. bound — tied together
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. pop — soda
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. root — of a plant
  11. bound — obliged
  12. tear — from crying
  13. tear — from crying
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pop — to visit
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. tear — to rip
  21. pop — music
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. pit — in a race
  24. root — the cause

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