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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: bear · root · stick · toast · kid · fan · key · sharp

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. kid — child
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. root — the cause
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. root — of a word
  12. key — in music
  13. sharp — clever
  14. bear — the animal
  15. key — the most important part
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. toast — bread
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bear — the animal
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. key — for a lock
  22. kid — to tease
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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