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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. root — the cause
  3. cap — a lid
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — a stick
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. row — to paddle
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. root — of a plant
  11. race — a contest
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. cap — a hat
  14. race — the arms race
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. staff — employees
  17. cap — of ice
  18. row — a line
  19. wax — to grow
  20. race — humankind
  21. root — of a word
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. hide — to keep secret

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