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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. object — to protest
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — music
  6. charge — in control
  7. bear — the animal
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. bear — the animal
  10. last — final
  11. last — finally
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. branch — a division
  14. object — an aim
  15. last — to go on
  16. object — a thing
  17. root — of a word
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — a price
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. root — the cause
  24. root — of a plant

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