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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  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. band — a ring
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bore — to tire
  4. firm — a company
  5. firm — steady
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. mug — a face
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bore — to drill
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. root — of a word
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — to rob
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. band — a music group
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. firm — decided
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. root — of a plant
  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