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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: leaves · swing · race · root · cap · date · spell · bowl

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. swing — in golf
  3. cap — of ice
  4. root — the cause
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. race — the arms race
  7. race — humankind
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. date — the fruit
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — of a plant
  12. spell — letters
  13. cap — a hat
  14. swing — music
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. swing — to play on
  17. cap — a lid
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. race — a contest
  21. spell — magic
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. date — on the calendar

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