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

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. root — the cause
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bear — the animal
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. lie — to recline
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. root — of a plant
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. chair — a leader
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bear — the animal
  19. wind — moving air
  20. bark — to shout
  21. root — of a word
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. wind — moving air

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