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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mate — a partner
  4. wound — an injury
  5. root — the cause
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. root — of a word
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. tube — a container
  12. wound — an injury
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. root — of a plant
  18. mug — a face
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mug — a cup
  21. present — the time now
  22. mate — a friend
  23. present — a gift
  24. tube — the underground

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