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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 120 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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  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. bear — the animal
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bear — the animal
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. file — a tool
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bass — the fish
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. bass — low music
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. root — of a word
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. file — a line of people
  22. root — the cause
  23. file — a document
  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