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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mate · present · ruler · jam · game · trunk · ball · root

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. ball — a great time
  4. mate — to breed
  5. ball — a dance
  6. root — the cause
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. present — the time now
  12. present — there
  13. root — of a plant
  14. mate — a friend
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. game — a match
  19. present — a gift
  20. root — of a word
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. mate — a partner
  23. game — wild animals
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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