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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 116 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: cap · perch · calf · bear · bass · capital · leaves · root

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. cap — of ice
  3. bass — the fish
  4. root — of a word
  5. cap — a lid
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. root — the cause
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bear — the animal
  10. cap — a hat
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bass — low music
  14. capital — money
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. bear — the animal
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. capital — a city

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