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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: toast · root · ruler · bowl · bear · chest · fine · net

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. bear — the animal
  3. net — after costs
  4. toast — bread
  5. bear — the animal
  6. net — for catching
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. net — in sport
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. fine — high quality
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a word
  17. chest — of your body
  18. fine — all right
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. chest — a box
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. root — of a plant
  24. fine — a penalty

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