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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. prune — to trim
  3. cap — a lid
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. prune — to trim
  7. root — of a plant
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. rock — a stone
  11. root — the cause
  12. tube — a container
  13. rock — music
  14. board — a committee
  15. field — farmland
  16. field — a subject
  17. field — for sport
  18. cap — of ice
  19. board — to get on
  20. ball — a dance
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — the underground
  23. root — of a word
  24. ball — a great time

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