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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: root · tear · safe · lie · mug · bear · object · club

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. mug — a cup
  3. club — for golf
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mug — a face
  7. lie — to recline
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. object — an aim
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. object — to protest
  12. club — a group
  13. root — of a word
  14. bear — the animal
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. root — of a plant
  17. object — a thing
  18. mug — to rob
  19. tear — from crying
  20. club — for dancing
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. tear — to rip
  23. root — the cause
  24. tear — from crying

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