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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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468
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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. rash — a series
  6. lean — to bend
  7. root — of a word
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. root — of a plant
  11. tube — the underground
  12. rash — hasty
  13. lean — thin
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. cap — a hat
  16. tube — a container
  17. capital — a city
  18. capital — money
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. cap — a lid
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. cap — of ice

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