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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spell · root · mine · hide · fork · bear · rock · can

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. spell — magic
  4. root — of a plant
  5. fork — in a road
  6. root — of a word
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. can — to be able to
  12. spell — letters
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. can — a tin
  18. mine — for digging
  19. rock — a stone
  20. can — a tin
  21. root — the cause
  22. rock — music
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. spell — a short time

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