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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 120 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. root — the cause
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rock — a stone
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. content — the amount
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. dip — to sink
  14. rock — music
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. root — of a plant
  21. root — of a word
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. content — happy
  24. arm — part of the body

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