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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  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 — of a plant
  2. prune — to trim
  3. root — the cause
  4. cold — not warm
  5. cap — of ice
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. cold — an illness
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. suit — clothes
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. roll — a cake
  14. prune — to trim
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. suit — in cards
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. cap — a hat
  19. suit — to fit
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. plane — a tool
  22. root — of a word
  23. roll — a list
  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