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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. present — there
  3. charge — a price
  4. stem — to come from
  5. present — a gift
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. spring — the season
  8. spring — of water
  9. present — the time now
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. spring — a coil
  14. roll — a list
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. roll — a cake
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. charge — in control
  22. toast — bread
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. charge — electricity

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