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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. cue — a hint
  4. rock — music
  5. cap — a hat
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. root — of a word
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. ball — a dance
  10. rock — a stone
  11. ball — a great time
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. craft — a skill
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. root — the cause
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. cue — a signal
  19. cell — in biology
  20. craft — boats
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cell — a phone
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cap — a lid

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