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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 116 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: root · staff · bear · sharp · straw · leaves · present · spell

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. root — of a word
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. root — of a plant
  7. spell — magic
  8. staff — employees
  9. spell — a short time
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. present — a gift
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. staff — a stick
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. bear — the animal
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. root — the cause
  19. sharp — clever
  20. present — the time now
  21. bear — the animal
  22. spell — letters
  23. present — there
  24. staff — employees

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