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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bound — tied together
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. root — the cause
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bound — obliged
  7. saw — the tool
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. spring — of water
  10. spell — a short time
  11. spell — magic
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. drill — the tool
  14. spring — the season
  15. spell — letters
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bound — certain
  18. spring — a coil
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. drill — army training
  21. root — of a word
  22. foot — a measure
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. drill — a practice

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