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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. bear — the animal
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bear — the animal
  6. race — humankind
  7. lean — to bend
  8. kick — in football
  9. race — the arms race
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. root — of a plant
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. root — of a word
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. race — a contest
  23. lean — thin
  24. root — the cause

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