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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 a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. cap — a lid
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. root — the cause
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. charge — a price
  7. swing — to play on
  8. craft — a skill
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ball — a dance
  11. charge — electricity
  12. pitch — completely
  13. craft — boats
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. swing — in golf
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. charge — in control
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. swing — music
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cap — of ice
  23. root — of a word
  24. craft — a handicraft

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