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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. root — of a word
  3. scale — size or range
  4. file — a document
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. root — the cause
  7. wake — a trail
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cap — a hat
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. file — a tool
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. file — a line of people
  19. mark — a trace
  20. root — of a plant
  21. scale — in music
  22. perch — the fish
  23. can — a tin
  24. mark — a grade

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