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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 116 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bear — the animal
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. saw — the tool
  6. root — the cause
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. saw — the tool
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. band — a ring
  15. band — a music group
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. wound — an injury
  19. root — of a word
  20. mine — for digging
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. root — of a plant
  24. bowl — a football final

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