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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. root — the cause
  3. bear — the animal
  4. dip — to sink
  5. bear — the animal
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. hand — help
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. wind — moving air
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. fine — all right
  14. root — of a word
  15. kick — in football
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. wind — moving air
  19. root — of a plant
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. chair — a leader
  23. fine — high quality
  24. chair — to sit on

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