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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. mark — a trace
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. mark — a grade
  5. present — a gift
  6. present — there
  7. key — the most important part
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. root — of a plant
  11. cap — of ice
  12. march — music
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. present — the time now
  15. cap — a lid
  16. spell — a short time
  17. key — for a lock
  18. root — of a word
  19. key — in music
  20. spell — letters
  21. march — the month
  22. cap — a hat
  23. march — the month
  24. spell — magic

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