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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. root — the cause
  3. pop — music
  4. wake — a trail
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. chip — to eat
  7. court — of a king
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. pop — soda
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. plane — a tool
  12. court — of law
  13. cap — of ice
  14. root — of a word
  15. cap — a hat
  16. foot — a measure
  17. chip — for betting
  18. pop — to visit
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. court — for sport
  21. root — of a plant
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. cap — a lid

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