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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. drill — the tool
  3. root — the cause
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. root — of a word
  7. drill — army training
  8. present — a gift
  9. drill — a practice
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. wind — moving air
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. present — the time now
  16. bulb — for light
  17. root — of a plant
  18. suit — to fit
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. bulb — for light
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. suit — clothes
  23. suit — in cards
  24. coach — a trainer

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