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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. root — of a word
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. present — a gift
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. root — the cause
  8. present — there
  9. pop — music
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. spring — a coil
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pop — to visit
  16. spring — of water
  17. pop — soda
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. stand — to bear
  20. root — of a plant
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. present — the time now
  24. arm — a part of something

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