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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pitch — completely
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. spring — a coil
  10. root — of a word
  11. spring — the season
  12. net — for catching
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. rock — a stone
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. root — of a plant
  17. deal — to handle
  18. rock — music
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. root — the cause
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. net — after costs
  24. spring — of water

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