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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. root — the cause
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. root — of a word
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. cap — a lid
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. cap — of ice
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. bank — for money
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. bank — for money
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bank — of a river
  18. dip — to sink
  19. root — of a plant
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. wax — to grow

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