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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. firm — decided
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. root — of a plant
  6. rest — what's left
  7. wind — moving air
  8. rest — what's left
  9. deal — to handle
  10. rest — a break
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. firm — a company
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bear — the animal
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. firm — steady
  20. root — of a word
  21. wind — moving air
  22. root — the cause
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. ruler — a monarch

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