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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 need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. season — in sport
  4. hand — in cards
  5. season — of the year
  6. bound — certain
  7. pit — in a race
  8. root — of a plant
  9. pit — a hole
  10. bound — tied together
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. root — of a word
  16. band — a ring
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. lean — to bend
  20. hand — help
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. lean — thin
  23. band — a music group
  24. bound — obliged

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