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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 120 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: suit · game · pop · pitcher · march · root · cap · object

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. game — wild animals
  3. cap — of ice
  4. root — the cause
  5. game — a match
  6. cap — a lid
  7. root — of a word
  8. pop — soda
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. suit — clothes
  11. object — an aim
  12. march — the month
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. root — of a plant
  15. suit — in cards
  16. object — to protest
  17. cap — a hat
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. march — music
  21. march — the month
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pop — music
  24. suit — to fit

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