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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.

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: file · root · mug · kick · board · object · pop · bear

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. root — of a plant
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — soda
  5. board — to get on
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. kick — in football
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bear — the animal
  10. object — an aim
  11. root — of a word
  12. pop — to visit
  13. mug — a face
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. root — the cause
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. file — a line of people
  19. board — a committee
  20. bear — the animal
  21. object — a thing
  22. file — a tool
  23. mug — a cup
  24. file — a document

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