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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. root — the cause
  3. spring — the season
  4. pit — in a race
  5. object — to protest
  6. spring — of water
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. object — a thing
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bark — to shout
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. pit — a hole
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. mark — a trace
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. root — of a plant
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. root — of a word
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. object — an aim

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