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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: board · bulb · stem · shower · wave · safe · cap · root

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. root — of a word
  5. board — a committee
  6. cap — of ice
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. bulb — for light
  11. root — of a plant
  12. shower — rain
  13. board — to get on
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. cap — a lid
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. shower — to wash
  21. root — the cause
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. safe — out of danger

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