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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: leaves · cap · straw · last · bowl · root · rush · cue

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. cap — of ice
  3. root — the cause
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. last — final
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. cap — a lid
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. cue — for pool
  14. last — finally
  15. cue — a hint
  16. root — of a word
  17. root — of a plant
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. last — to go on
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. leaves — to go away

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