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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. bear — the animal
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. fine — high quality
  6. suit — to fit
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. root — of a plant
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bear — the animal
  14. suit — clothes
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a word
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. scale — in music

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