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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: mark · pit · scale · leaves · root · dip · trunk · bear

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. scale — size or range
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. root — the cause
  6. root — of a word
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. mark — a trace
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. pit — a hole
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. pit — in a race
  17. dip — to sink
  18. scale — in music
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. root — of a plant
  21. mark — a grade
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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