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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. root — of a plant
  3. ground — crushed
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. stand — to bear
  6. root — the cause
  7. present — a gift
  8. foot — a measure
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. present — the time now
  13. ground — the earth
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. present — there
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. ground — a position
  20. wind — moving air
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. root — of a word
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. bay — a horse colour

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