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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. cap — a hat
  4. root — of a plant
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. key — for a lock
  7. cap — a lid
  8. root — the cause
  9. cap — of ice
  10. root — of a word
  11. rock — music
  12. rock — a stone
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. ground — crushed
  15. ground — the earth
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. ground — a position
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. key — the most important part
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. key — in music
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. fork — in a road

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