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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: field · root · toast · roll · nail · stick · bear · bark

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. bear — the animal
  5. roll — a cake
  6. field — farmland
  7. field — a subject
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. toast — bread
  10. bark — to shout
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. root — of a word
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. bear — the animal
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. field — for sport
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. root — the cause
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. roll — a list
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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