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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cap — a lid
  4. prune — to trim
  5. root — of a word
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. bear — the animal
  8. shower — rain
  9. chip — to eat
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bank — of a river
  12. shower — to wash
  13. root — of a plant
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. cap — of ice
  16. prune — to trim
  17. root — the cause
  18. chip — for betting
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. deal — to handle
  24. prune — the fruit

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