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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. tube — the underground
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. tube — a container
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cap — a hat
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — of a word
  13. can — to be able to
  14. degree — temperature
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. cap — of ice
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. degree — from a university
  20. root — the cause
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. foot — a measure
  24. degree — an amount

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