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

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. spring — the season
  3. pit — in a race
  4. spring — of water
  5. bound — tied together
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. pit — a hole
  8. foot — a measure
  9. root — of a word
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. mug — a cup
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. root — the cause
  16. bank — for money
  17. mug — to rob
  18. snap — to click
  19. spring — a coil
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. root — of a plant
  23. bound — certain
  24. mug — a face

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