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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. can — a tin
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. band — a ring
  5. dip — to sink
  6. can — a tin
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. present — a gift
  9. face — part of the head
  10. present — the time now
  11. face — to confront
  12. cell — in biology
  13. can — to be able to
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cell — a phone
  18. root — the cause
  19. root — of a plant
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. face — to point toward
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. root — of a word
  24. band — a music group

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