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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a grade
  4. bank — for money
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. bank — of a river
  7. root — of a plant
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. pop — to visit
  10. present — the time now
  11. root — the cause
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. present — a gift
  15. pop — soda
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bank — for money
  18. root — of a word
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. pop — music
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. toast — bread
  24. patient — a sick person

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