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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — a trace
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. root — the cause
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bear — the animal
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. rock — music
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rock — a stone
  21. root — of a plant
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. root — of a word
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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