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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. capital — money
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bulb — for light
  5. suit — clothes
  6. chair — a leader
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. ground — crushed
  9. root — the cause
  10. rest — a break
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. root — of a plant
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. rest — what's left
  15. suit — in cards
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rest — what's left
  20. ground — a position
  21. capital — a city
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. ground — the earth
  24. root — of a word

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