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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 a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. root — of a word
  3. squash — to crush
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. current — of water
  6. pit — a hole
  7. staff — employees
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. cap — a lid
  10. branch — a division
  11. staff — employees
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. current — electric
  15. current — happening now
  16. staff — a stick
  17. pit — in a race
  18. root — the cause
  19. cap — of ice
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. capital — money
  22. cap — a hat
  23. squash — the sport
  24. capital — a city

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