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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. root — the cause
  6. bound — obliged
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. fine — high quality
  9. saw — the tool
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. bound — tied together
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. bear — the animal
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. root — of a plant
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. vault — a safe
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. fine — all right
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. bound — certain
  24. kick — in football

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