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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. root — of a plant
  3. clip — to cut
  4. clip — a video
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. root — of a word
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. land — ground
  11. dip — to sink
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. root — the cause
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. clip — for paper
  17. land — a country
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. land — to come down
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — out of danger

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