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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. spring — of water
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. root — the cause
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. present — a gift
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. root — of a word
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. foot — a measure
  13. present — there
  14. spring — a coil
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. root — of a plant
  18. spring — the season
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mouse — the animal

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