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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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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. roll — a list
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. perch — the fish
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. root — the cause
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. roll — a cake
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. lean — thin
  18. vault — a safe
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. root — of a plant
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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