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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. staff — employees
  4. pass — a permit
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bear — the animal
  9. key — for a lock
  10. key — in music
  11. bear — the animal
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. root — of a word
  14. root — the cause
  15. branch — a division
  16. fine — high quality
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. key — the most important part
  20. staff — employees
  21. dip — to sink
  22. root — of a plant
  23. fine — all right
  24. staff — a stick

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