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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  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. bear — to put up with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. file — a line of people
  4. drill — the tool
  5. root — of a plant
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bear — the animal
  9. file — a tool
  10. drill — a practice
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. mug — a cup
  13. drill — army training
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. root — of a word
  16. rash — a series
  17. snap — to click
  18. suit — to fit
  19. rash — hasty
  20. file — a document
  21. suit — in cards
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mug — a face
  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