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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. present — a gift
  3. pop — to visit
  4. present — there
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. suit — clothes
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. suit — to fit
  9. root — of a plant
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pop — soda
  12. root — the cause
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. root — of a word
  15. present — the time now
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. pop — music
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. bowl — a football final

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