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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: land · root · bear · toast · tear · vault · mark · staff

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. tear — from crying
  4. root — of a word
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. staff — a stick
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a plant
  9. mark — a trace
  10. land — to come down
  11. staff — employees
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mark — a grade
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. vault — a safe
  17. land — a country
  18. toast — bread
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. staff — employees
  22. tear — from crying
  23. land — ground
  24. tear — to rip

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