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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 116 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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. root — of a word
  3. net — in sport
  4. pop — to visit
  5. present — there
  6. net — for catching
  7. cap — of ice
  8. present — a gift
  9. net — after costs
  10. pop — soda
  11. present — the time now
  12. ground — a position
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ground — crushed
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. cap — a lid
  19. pop — music
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. root — the cause
  24. root — of a plant

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