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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 116 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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. root — of a plant
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. content — happy
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. rule — government
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mate — a partner
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. present — the time now
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. content — the amount
  19. rule — a law
  20. mate — to breed
  21. present — there
  22. present — a gift
  23. root — of a word
  24. straw — a straw man

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