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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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468
Word bank
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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bear — the animal
  4. root — of a word
  5. rest — a break
  6. bear — the animal
  7. suit — clothes
  8. cell — in biology
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. swing — to play on
  11. lean — thin
  12. rest — what's left
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. bark — to shout
  15. swing — in golf
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. swing — music
  18. root — the cause
  19. cell — a phone
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. suit — in cards
  23. root — of a plant
  24. lean — to bend

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