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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. club — for golf
  3. club — for dancing
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. cap — a lid
  8. club — a group
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — a container
  12. chip — to eat
  13. tube — the underground
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. cap — of ice
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. drill — a practice
  18. drill — the tool
  19. root — of a word
  20. drill — army training
  21. chip — for betting
  22. root — the cause
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. cap — a hat

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