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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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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: rest · tear · ruler · season · stem · pop · root · suit

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — what's left
  4. root — the cause
  5. pop — to visit
  6. rest — a break
  7. suit — to fit
  8. season — in sport
  9. pop — music
  10. suit — clothes
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. tear — from crying
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. pop — soda
  15. suit — in cards
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. root — of a plant
  19. tear — from crying
  20. season — of the year
  21. stem — to come from
  22. root — of a word
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. ruler — for measuring

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