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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. roll — a cake
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. root — the cause
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. root — of a plant
  7. roll — a list
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. present — there
  13. foot — a measure
  14. rest — what's left
  15. vault — a safe
  16. root — of a word
  17. rest — what's left
  18. present — a gift
  19. rest — a break
  20. stand — to bear
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. present — the time now
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. foot — the bottom

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