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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 120 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 a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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 plant
  3. club — for golf
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. deal — to handle
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. ground — crushed
  11. cap — a hat
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. ground — a position
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a word
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. cap — of ice
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. club — a group
  21. ground — the earth
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. club — for dancing

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