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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: present · trunk · game · capital · root · bay · rock · rush

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. present — there
  6. game — wild animals
  7. present — a gift
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. present — the time now
  11. rock — music
  12. root — the cause
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. root — of a plant
  17. capital — a city
  18. rush — hurry
  19. root — of a word
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. game — a match
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. capital — money

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