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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pop — soda
  4. pop — music
  5. bear — the animal
  6. tube — a container
  7. drill — a practice
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. mark — a grade
  10. root — of a plant
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mark — a trace
  13. saw — the tool
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. pop — to visit
  16. tube — the underground
  17. root — the cause
  18. root — of a word
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. vault — a safe
  23. drill — army training
  24. drill — the tool

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