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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. root — of a word
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. rush — hurry
  6. pit — a hole
  7. season — of the year
  8. bound — tied together
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. cap — a lid
  11. pit — in a race
  12. branch — a division
  13. cap — of ice
  14. bound — certain
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. cap — a hat
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. season — in sport
  20. root — of a plant
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. rush — a thrill

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