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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 124 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 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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 word
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. pop — music
  5. present — the time now
  6. rock — a stone
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. saw — the tool
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. dip — to sink
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. rock — music
  16. root — the cause
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. root — of a plant
  19. saw — the tool
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pop — soda
  24. present — there

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