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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.

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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: stem · stand · bore · ground · dip · staff · root · fan

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. ground — the earth
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stem — to come from
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. staff — employees
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. staff — employees
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bore — to drill
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. ground — a position
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. root — of a word
  19. ground — crushed
  20. root — the cause
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. root — of a plant
  23. dip — to sink
  24. staff — a stick

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