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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. root — the cause
  3. cap — of ice
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. root — of a plant
  6. band — a music group
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. wound — an injury
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. hand — help
  11. root — of a word
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. pitch — completely
  17. wound — an injury
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hand — in cards
  20. band — a ring
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. cap — a hat

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