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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. root — of a plant
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. rush — hurry
  7. firm — decided
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. firm — steady
  13. bear — the animal
  14. drill — the tool
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. firm — a company
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — the cause
  19. wound — an injury
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. drill — army training
  22. bear — the animal
  23. drill — a practice
  24. wound — an injury

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