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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.

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: bat · face · file · stem · pass · can · root · nail

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. face — to point toward
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. bat — the animal
  5. file — a tool
  6. can — to be able to
  7. can — a tin
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. file — a line of people
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. face — to confront
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. root — of a word
  14. stem — to come from
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. root — the cause
  17. can — a tin
  18. face — part of the head
  19. root — of a plant
  20. file — a document
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bat — in an idiom

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