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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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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: rule · chair · stand · bulb · present · root · bore · vault

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. rule — government
  5. present — the time now
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bore — to tire
  8. root — the cause
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. root — of a word
  12. rule — a law
  13. stand — to bear
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. chair — a leader
  17. bore — to drill
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. bulb — for light
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. bulb — for light
  23. vault — a safe
  24. present — there

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