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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: present · pop · kick · club · jam · root · cap · season

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. present — the time now
  3. season — in sport
  4. season — of the year
  5. pop — music
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. root — the cause
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. present — a gift
  12. kick — in football
  13. club — a group
  14. club — for dancing
  15. cap — a hat
  16. pop — to visit
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. cap — of ice
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. root — of a plant
  21. root — of a word
  22. present — there
  23. club — for golf
  24. cap — a lid

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