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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 116 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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. fork — in a road
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bear — the animal
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. root — of a plant
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mark — a trace
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. squash — to crush
  14. content — happy
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. squash — the sport
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. root — the cause
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. mark — a grade
  23. content — the amount
  24. squash — the vegetable

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