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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rash — hasty
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. root — of a word
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — there
  8. root — the cause
  9. pop — soda
  10. key — for a lock
  11. cap — of ice
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rock — music
  14. pop — music
  15. root — of a plant
  16. pop — to visit
  17. rock — a stone
  18. present — a gift
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — in music
  21. cap — a hat
  22. rash — a series
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. cap — a lid

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