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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 120 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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. mate — to breed
  3. root — of a plant
  4. firm — steady
  5. mate — a friend
  6. firm — decided
  7. suit — clothes
  8. root — of a word
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. root — the cause
  12. bear — the animal
  13. charge — in control
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. mate — a partner
  16. suit — to fit
  17. charge — electricity
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. firm — a company
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. charge — a price
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. suit — in cards

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