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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. present — a gift
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. present — there
  5. pop — to visit
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. root — of a plant
  8. can — a tin
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pop — soda
  11. staff — employees
  12. can — to be able to
  13. root — the cause
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. present — the time now
  16. staff — employees
  17. root — of a word
  18. bear — the animal
  19. staff — a stick
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. can — a tin

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