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

Word bank: sharp · rash · snap · jam · club · race · cap · root

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. rash — a series
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a lid
  5. root — the cause
  6. club — for golf
  7. sharp — clever
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. club — a group
  11. race — humankind
  12. race — a contest
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rash — hasty
  17. cap — a hat
  18. root — of a plant
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. race — the arms race
  22. club — for dancing
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. snap — to click

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