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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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 plant
  3. rest — what's left
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. lie — to recline
  6. rest — what's left
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. file — a line of people
  9. file — a document
  10. can — to be able to
  11. rest — a break
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. root — of a word
  14. can — a tin
  15. file — a tool
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. can — a tin
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. present — there
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. present — the time now
  24. root — the cause

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