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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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468
Word bank
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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. root — of a word
  5. toast — bread
  6. present — the time now
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. root — the cause
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bass — the fish
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bear — the animal
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. present — there
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. perch — the fish
  21. root — of a plant
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. bass — low music
  24. pound — a weight

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