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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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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. cap — a hat
  4. root — the cause
  5. present — there
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. chair — a leader
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. present — the time now
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. present — a gift
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. root — of a plant
  17. pass — a permit
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. plane — a tool
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cap — a lid
  24. fan — a supporter

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