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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: mark · game · root · bore · cell · mate · suit · present

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. mate — a partner
  3. present — there
  4. root — of a plant
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bore — to tire
  9. root — the cause
  10. present — a gift
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. game — wild animals
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bore — to drill
  15. suit — clothes
  16. mate — a friend
  17. root — of a word
  18. cell — in biology
  19. cell — a phone
  20. suit — in cards
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. suit — to fit
  23. mark — a trace
  24. game — a match

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