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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: stem · game · nail · bulb · root · wake · bear · jam

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bear — the animal
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. stem — to come from
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. game — a match
  9. root — the cause
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bear — the animal
  18. root — of a word
  19. game — wild animals
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. wake — a trail
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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