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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. snap — to click
  3. bear — the animal
  4. cap — a lid
  5. root — the cause
  6. court — for sport
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. court — of a king
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. suit — clothes
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cap — of ice
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. suit — in cards
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. root — of a plant
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. court — of law
  21. suit — to fit
  22. root — of a word
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bear — the animal

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