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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. craft — boats
  3. fall — the season
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a word
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mate — a partner
  10. fall — to drop
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. mate — to breed
  13. root — of a plant
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pass — a permit
  16. craft — a skill
  17. fall — to drop
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. squash — to crush
  20. squash — the sport
  21. present — a gift
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. present — the time now

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