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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. craft — a skill
  3. cap — of ice
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. march — music
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. march — the month
  9. band — a music group
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. march — the month
  12. race — a contest
  13. race — the arms race
  14. root — of a plant
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. band — a ring
  18. root — of a word
  19. craft — boats
  20. cap — a hat
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. cap — a lid
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. race — humankind

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