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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. can — a tin
  3. prune — to trim
  4. root — of a plant
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. cap — of ice
  7. cap — a lid
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. root — the cause
  10. can — a tin
  11. chip — to eat
  12. prune — to trim
  13. stand — to bear
  14. file — a document
  15. suit — in cards
  16. file — a line of people
  17. root — of a word
  18. suit — to fit
  19. file — a tool
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. cap — a hat
  22. chip — for betting
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. can — to be able to

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