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

Word bank: stand · root · stick · clip · bear · pound · leaves · bulb

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bear — the animal
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. clip — for paper
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. root — of a word
  13. clip — to cut
  14. clip — a video
  15. root — of a plant
  16. root — the cause
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — to bear
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bear — the animal

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