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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. tube — the underground
  6. bear — the animal
  7. root — of a plant
  8. pit — in a race
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. bear — the animal
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. root — of a word
  21. tube — a container
  22. root — the cause
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. pit — a hole

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