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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. pass — a permit
  3. root — of a plant
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. game — a match
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. present — there
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bass — the fish
  15. game — wild animals
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. root — the cause
  18. snap — to click
  19. root — of a word
  20. bass — low music
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. present — a gift
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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