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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 had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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. drill — a practice
  4. cue — a signal
  5. drill — the tool
  6. kick — in football
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. root — of a word
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. cue — for pool
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a plant
  13. stand — to bear
  14. cue — a hint
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bear — the animal
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. drill — army training
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. net — after costs
  23. net — in sport
  24. net — for catching

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