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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. date — the fruit
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. bear — the animal
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. sharp — clever
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bat — the animal
  19. board — a committee
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. root — the cause
  22. board — to get on
  23. root — of a plant
  24. root — of a word

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