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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. root — of a plant
  5. spring — of water
  6. present — the time now
  7. fine — all right
  8. branch — a division
  9. fine — high quality
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. present — a gift
  12. spring — a coil
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. object — a thing
  15. present — there
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. bear — the animal
  18. spring — the season
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. object — an aim
  21. root — the cause
  22. bear — the animal
  23. object — to protest
  24. root — of a word

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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