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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 black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. lie — to recline
  5. pit — a hole
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. root — of a word
  8. date — the fruit
  9. root — the cause
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. squash — to crush
  12. pit — in a race
  13. squash — the sport
  14. root — of a plant
  15. key — the most important part
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. key — for a lock
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bear — the animal
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. key — 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