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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 116 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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. march — the month
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. present — the time now
  5. fork — in a road
  6. present — a gift
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. march — the month
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. sharp — clever
  11. race — the arms race
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. race — humankind
  14. root — of a word
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — to handle
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. march — music
  19. root — the cause
  20. present — there
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. race — a contest
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. deal — a big deal

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