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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. wound — an injury
  6. club — for dancing
  7. pop — soda
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. club — a group
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bass — low music
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bass — the fish
  18. pop — to visit
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. root — the cause
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. pop — music
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. club — for golf

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