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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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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. foot — a measure
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. firm — a company
  5. bear — the animal
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. firm — decided
  8. bark — to shout
  9. root — of a plant
  10. firm — steady
  11. pound — a weight
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. cap — of ice
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. cap — a lid
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. cap — a hat
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. bear — the animal
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. root — the cause

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