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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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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. root — the cause
  3. mark — a trace
  4. root — of a plant
  5. chest — of your body
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mark — a grade
  9. present — a gift
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. chest — a box
  17. root — of a word
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bear — the animal
  20. present — the time now
  21. bear — the animal
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. chest — of your body
  24. present — there

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