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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  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. cap — of ice
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. season — of the year
  5. root — the cause
  6. lean — to bend
  7. mug — a cup
  8. root — of a word
  9. chip — for betting
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. lean — thin
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. chip — to eat
  15. vault — a safe
  16. root — of a plant
  17. mug — to rob
  18. season — in sport
  19. mug — a face
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. cap — a hat
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  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