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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: bear · root · staff · row · leaves · fine · bark · squash

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. squash — the sport
  3. bear — the animal
  4. staff — employees
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. root — the cause
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. squash — to crush
  10. row — to paddle
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. root — of a word
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. fine — high quality
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. staff — a stick
  19. root — of a plant
  20. staff — employees
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. fine — all right
  23. bear — the animal
  24. row — a line

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