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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. scale — in music
  3. suit — in cards
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. cap — a hat
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. kick — in football
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. ground — a position
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — clothes
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cap — a lid
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. cap — of ice
  19. root — of a plant
  20. scale — size or range
  21. ground — crushed
  22. ground — the earth
  23. root — of a word
  24. kick — with a leg

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