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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. plane — a tool
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. present — a gift
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. stem — to come from
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. root — the cause
  11. game — wild animals
  12. root — of a plant
  13. root — of a word
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. game — a match
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. present — there

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