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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  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. root — the cause
  2. march — the month
  3. root — of a plant
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rush — hurry
  7. fine — high quality
  8. capital — a city
  9. capital — money
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. march — the month
  12. net — in sport
  13. cap — a hat
  14. fine — all right
  15. net — after costs
  16. net — for catching
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — to get on
  20. march — music
  21. cap — of ice
  22. root — of a word
  23. board — a flat piece
  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