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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — of a plant
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. present — there
  7. key — in music
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. ball — a great time
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. key — the most important part
  12. capital — money
  13. root — the cause
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. capital — a city
  18. tube — a container
  19. present — the time now
  20. tube — the underground
  21. deal — to handle
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. key — for a lock
  24. ball — a dance

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