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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. root — the cause
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — a grade
  6. last — finally
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. root — of a word
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. last — final
  11. bear — the animal
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. root — of a plant
  17. last — to go on
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. snap — to click
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. vault — a safe
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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