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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. root — of a word
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. bank — for money
  7. cue — a hint
  8. root — of a plant
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bear — the animal
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. bear — the animal
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. cue — a signal
  18. wind — moving air
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. wind — moving air
  22. cue — for pool
  23. root — the cause
  24. bark — to shout

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