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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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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. charge — a price
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. dip — to sink
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. present — there
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. root — the cause
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. vault — a safe
  13. root — of a word
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. bass — low music
  16. charge — electricity
  17. saw — the tool
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. bass — the fish
  20. root — of a plant
  21. saw — the tool
  22. stem — to come from
  23. present — the time now
  24. charge — in control

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