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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 are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. bound — tied together
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. dip — to sink
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bark — to shout
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rush — hurry
  24. bound — certain

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