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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: spring · cabinet · leaves · deal · date · ruler · root · dip

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. spring — of water
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. dip — to sink
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. date — the fruit
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. root — the cause
  12. spring — the season
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. root — of a word
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. spring — a coil
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. root — of a plant

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