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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. can — a tin
  3. last — final
  4. bear — the animal
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. chip — to eat
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. last — to go on
  9. craft — boats
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. root — of a word
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. craft — a skill
  15. chip — for betting
  16. can — to be able to
  17. root — the cause
  18. last — finally
  19. can — a tin
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. root — of a plant
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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