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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. file — a tool
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. file — a document
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. root — of a word
  8. current — happening now
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. file — a line of people
  11. root — the cause
  12. current — electric
  13. cap — of ice
  14. pass — a permit
  15. root — of a plant
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. current — of water
  18. cap — a hat

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