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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. object — a thing
  6. root — of a word
  7. object — an aim
  8. tear — from crying
  9. snap — to click
  10. tear — from crying
  11. object — to protest
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. rock — music
  14. root — of a plant
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. tear — to rip
  18. rock — a stone
  19. bear — the animal
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. wax — in the ear

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