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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  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 — the time now
  2. saw — the tool
  3. present — a gift
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. root — the cause
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. mine — for digging
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — for pool
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. root — of a word
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. root — of a plant
  20. saw — the tool
  21. pound — a weight
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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