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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 116 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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cell — in biology
  4. pass — a permit
  5. field — a subject
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. root — the cause
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. field — farmland
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cap — of ice
  13. club — for golf
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. root — of a word
  16. field — for sport
  17. cell — a phone
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. current — happening now
  20. root — of a plant
  21. club — a group
  22. current — of water
  23. club — for dancing
  24. current — electric

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