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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. root — of a word
  5. present — the time now
  6. key — the most important part
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. snap — to click
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. key — for a lock
  13. root — the cause
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. key — in music
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. present — there
  23. present — a gift
  24. root — of a plant

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