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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. rest — what's left
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. rest — a break
  7. pound — a weight
  8. cell — a phone
  9. fall — to drop
  10. cell — in biology
  11. bear — the animal
  12. fall — the season
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. deal — to handle
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bear — the animal
  17. root — of a word
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. root — of a plant
  20. fall — to drop
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. root — the cause
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. cell — in a prison

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