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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. pop — soda
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — there
  8. mark — a grade
  9. root — of a word
  10. pop — to visit
  11. board — to get on
  12. mug — a cup
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. root — the cause
  15. pop — music
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. present — a gift
  19. stem — to come from
  20. mug — a face
  21. board — a committee
  22. root — of a plant
  23. mark — a trace
  24. jam — in traffic

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