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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. press — to push
  3. mate — to breed
  4. cap — of ice
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. root — of a plant
  7. mate — a partner
  8. root — the cause
  9. can — to be able to
  10. cap — a lid
  11. press — a publisher
  12. net — for catching
  13. net — after costs
  14. mate — a friend
  15. press — newspapers
  16. staff — employees
  17. net — in sport
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. can — a tin
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. root — of a word
  22. can — a tin
  23. staff — a stick
  24. staff — employees

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