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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. spring — the season
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. root — of a word
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. present — there
  7. can — a tin
  8. root — of a plant
  9. can — a tin
  10. spring — of water
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. spring — a coil
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. present — the time now
  17. bore — to drill
  18. can — to be able to
  19. toast — bread
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. pass — a permit
  22. root — the cause
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. toast — the most admired

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