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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. root — the cause
  4. cap — a hat
  5. toast — bread
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. cap — a lid
  15. fork — in a road
  16. root — of a word
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. root — of a plant
  21. wake — a trail
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. trunk — of a tree

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