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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — music
  4. cap — a lid
  5. present — the time now
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. track — a song
  8. stock — shares
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. cap — of ice
  11. root — of a plant
  12. present — there
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. track — to keep track
  15. bulb — for light
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. present — a gift
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bulb — for light
  20. root — the cause
  21. stock — goods
  22. sharp — clever
  23. track — a path
  24. cap — a hat

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