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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bound — obliged
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ground — crushed
  6. root — of a word
  7. suit — clothes
  8. drill — the tool
  9. suit — to fit
  10. drill — a practice
  11. suit — in cards
  12. drill — army training
  13. content — happy
  14. ground — a position
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. bound — certain
  17. content — the amount
  18. root — of a plant

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