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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — the season
  4. bound — obliged
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. root — of a word
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — certain
  9. rock — a stone
  10. root — of a plant
  11. fall — to drop
  12. object — a thing
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. object — to protest
  15. rock — music
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. object — an aim
  18. foot — a measure

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