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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 120 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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. cap — a hat
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. root — of a plant
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — a price
  7. cap — a lid
  8. charge — in control
  9. prune — to trim
  10. fall — to drop
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. board — a committee
  13. press — newspapers
  14. prune — to trim
  15. wax — to grow
  16. press — to push
  17. press — a publisher
  18. fall — to drop
  19. board — to get on
  20. root — the cause
  21. cap — of ice
  22. fall — the season
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. wax — for sculpting

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