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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. pop — soda
  3. pop — music
  4. mug — a cup
  5. season — of the year
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cap — a lid
  10. root — of a plant
  11. plane — a tool
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. pop — to visit
  14. mug — a face
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cell — a phone
  19. season — in sport
  20. cell — in biology
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. root — of a word
  24. mug — to rob

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