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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 124 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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. plane — a tool
  3. root — of a plant
  4. firm — decided
  5. vault — a safe
  6. root — the cause
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. firm — a company
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bank — of a river
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. firm — steady
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. bear — the animal
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. bank — for money
  19. root — of a word
  20. bear — the animal
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. bat — the animal
  24. bank — for money

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