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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. mate — to breed
  3. pit — in a race
  4. present — a gift
  5. spell — letters
  6. root — of a plant
  7. present — there
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mate — a friend
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. key — for a lock
  12. tube — a container
  13. key — the most important part
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. root — the cause
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. key — in music
  18. present — the time now
  19. mate — a partner
  20. root — of a word
  21. spell — magic
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. tube — the underground
  24. pit — a hole

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