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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 116 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 ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. root — of a plant
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. root — of a word
  5. degree — an amount
  6. cap — of ice
  7. cap — a hat
  8. degree — temperature
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. charge — in control
  12. stock — shares
  13. march — the month
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. root — the cause
  16. degree — from a university
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. cap — a lid
  20. stock — goods
  21. charge — a price
  22. march — music
  23. march — the month
  24. charge — electricity

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