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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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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. capital — a city
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. capital — money
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. object — an aim
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. craft — a skill
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — a trace
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. pit — in a race
  13. root — of a plant
  14. kid — child
  15. object — a thing
  16. dip — to sink
  17. root — of a word
  18. craft — boats
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. object — to protest
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. kid — to tease
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pit — a hole

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