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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: root · cap · kick · perch · pass · foot · press · craft

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. pass — a permit
  3. press — to push
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. craft — a skill
  6. cap — of ice
  7. cap — a hat
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. press — a publisher
  10. craft — boats
  11. root — of a word
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. root — the cause
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. foot — a measure
  18. perch — the fish
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. press — newspapers
  21. kick — in football
  22. root — of a plant
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. foot — part of the body

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