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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. root — the cause
  3. cap — a hat
  4. land — a country
  5. season — in sport
  6. spring — the season
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. prune — to trim
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. root — of a word
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. spring — a coil
  13. chair — a leader
  14. cap — of ice
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. cap — a lid
  17. land — ground
  18. land — to come down
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. prune — to trim
  22. season — of the year
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. spring — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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