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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 116 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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. bear — the animal
  5. root — of a word
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. spring — the season
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pit — in a race
  17. spring — a coil
  18. field — for sport
  19. root — of a plant
  20. pit — a hole
  21. field — a subject
  22. root — the cause
  23. spring — of water
  24. field — farmland

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