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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. root — the cause
  3. bass — low music
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. season — of the year
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. season — in sport
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. root — of a plant
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bear — the animal
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. root — of a word
  16. toast — bread
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bass — the fish
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. straw — a straw man

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