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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. rule — government
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mine — for digging
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. root — of a word
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. root — of a plant
  20. rule — a law
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. perch — the fish
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bear — to put up with

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