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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. present — there
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. present — the time now
  7. ground — a position
  8. root — of a plant
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. ground — the earth
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. root — the cause
  18. ground — crushed
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a hint
  21. root — of a word
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. kick — in football
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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