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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. root — the cause
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. bound — obliged
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. spring — a coil
  8. bound — tied together
  9. pass — a permit
  10. bound — certain
  11. shower — rain
  12. spring — of water
  13. spring — the season
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. shower — to wash
  17. root — of a word
  18. hide — to keep secret

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