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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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. root — of a word
  3. staff — employees
  4. spring — a coil
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bear — the animal
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. spring — the season
  11. pass — a permit
  12. root — the cause
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. staff — a stick
  19. spring — of water
  20. spell — letters
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — a short time
  23. staff — employees
  24. pass — to succeed

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