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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cap — a hat
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. mate — a partner
  5. root — of a word
  6. saw — the tool
  7. cap — of ice
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. current — happening now
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. mate — a friend
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. rule — a law
  17. root — of a plant
  18. current — electric
  19. mate — to breed
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. current — of water
  22. root — the cause
  23. rule — government
  24. season — in sport

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