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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: root · sharp · toast · ball · capital · bulb · pass · cap

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. root — of a word
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bulb — for light
  10. capital — money
  11. bulb — for light
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. cap — of ice
  14. root — the cause
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. ball — a dance
  18. toast — bread
  19. capital — a city
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. root — of a plant
  23. pass — a permit
  24. sharp — clever

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