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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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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: root · present · temple · leaves · spring · mug · cell · content

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. cell — in biology
  3. root — the cause
  4. mug — a cup
  5. present — there
  6. present — a gift
  7. spring — a coil
  8. root — of a plant
  9. spring — the season
  10. content — the amount
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. spring — of water
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mug — a face
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. content — happy
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. present — the time now
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. cell — a phone
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. root — of a word
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. leaves — lets stay

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