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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. cell — a phone
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. root — of a word
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. fork — in a road
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. root — the cause
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. tube — a container
  16. bear — the animal
  17. deal — to handle
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. root — of a plant
  20. cell — in biology
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. tube — the underground
  24. date — the fruit

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