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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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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: lie · toast · band · firm · rush · lean · root · bear

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bear — the animal
  3. lean — thin
  4. rush — hurry
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. toast — bread
  10. root — of a plant
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. band — a music group
  13. bear — the animal
  14. lie — to recline
  15. firm — decided
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. root — the cause
  18. root — of a word
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. band — a ring
  21. firm — a company
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — to hurry

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