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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. root — of a plant
  4. current — of water
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fork — in a road
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. ground — the earth
  10. prune — to trim
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. current — happening now
  13. bear — the animal
  14. root — the cause
  15. prune — to trim
  16. last — to go on
  17. root — of a word
  18. ground — a position
  19. current — electric
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. ground — crushed
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. last — 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