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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mug — a face
  4. cell — a phone
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. present — there
  8. track — a path
  9. present — the time now
  10. track — a song
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mug — to rob
  14. track — to keep track
  15. root — of a word
  16. root — of a plant
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. deal — to handle
  19. cell — in biology
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. root — the cause
  22. present — a gift
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. cabinet — ministers

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