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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. firm — steady
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. bear — the animal
  7. root — of a plant
  8. firm — decided
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. root — of a word
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. root — the cause
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bear — the animal
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. stock — shares
  18. firm — a company
  19. rash — hasty
  20. stock — goods
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. rash — a series
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. hide — to keep secret

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