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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. root — the cause
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. date — the fruit
  6. cap — a lid
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. lie — to recline
  9. roll — a list
  10. root — of a word
  11. cap — of ice
  12. roll — a cake
  13. degree — an amount
  14. key — the most important part
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. cap — a hat
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. root — of a plant
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. key — in music
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. key — for a lock
  23. degree — from a university
  24. degree — temperature

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