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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. root — of a word
  3. field — for sport
  4. root — of a plant
  5. cap — a lid
  6. field — farmland
  7. stand — to bear
  8. cap — a hat
  9. object — an aim
  10. cue — a signal
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. suit — clothes
  13. object — to protest
  14. suit — in cards
  15. cue — for pool
  16. net — after costs
  17. object — a thing
  18. net — in sport
  19. suit — to fit
  20. net — for catching
  21. field — a subject
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. root — the cause
  24. cap — of ice

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