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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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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 · bat · root · roll · suit · prune · mark · mate

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. cap — a lid
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. mate — a partner
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bat — the animal
  11. cap — of ice
  12. mate — to breed
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — in cards
  15. root — of a plant
  16. mark — a grade
  17. prune — to trim
  18. suit — to fit
  19. roll — a cake
  20. cap — a hat
  21. mate — a friend
  22. root — the cause
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. root — of a word

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