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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: deal · mate · straw · cap · mark · roll · root · march

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. mate — a friend
  3. root — the cause
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. cap — a lid
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. roll — a cake
  8. roll — a list
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. march — the month
  11. deal — to handle
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. root — of a word
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. mark — a trace
  17. march — the month
  18. cap — a hat
  19. mark — a grade
  20. march — music
  21. mate — to breed
  22. cap — of ice
  23. mate — a partner
  24. straw — a straw man

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