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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. present — there
  3. pop — soda
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cell — a phone
  6. root — of a plant
  7. pop — music
  8. root — the cause
  9. object — to protest
  10. mug — a cup
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — an aim
  13. march — music
  14. march — the month
  15. mug — a face
  16. present — a gift
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. root — of a word
  19. present — the time now
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. march — the month
  22. cell — in biology
  23. pop — to visit
  24. mug — to rob

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