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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  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. root — the cause
  2. can — a tin
  3. club — for golf
  4. can — a tin
  5. club — a group
  6. rule — government
  7. cap — a hat
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. root — of a plant
  11. mine — for digging
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. tube — the underground
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. rule — a law
  16. tube — a container
  17. root — of a word
  18. can — to be able to
  19. cap — of ice
  20. club — for dancing
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. rule — to rule out
  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