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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. kick — in football
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. root — of a word
  6. mate — to breed
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mate — a partner
  11. root — the cause
  12. bound — certain
  13. net — after costs
  14. mate — a friend
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. net — in sport
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. fork — in a road
  21. net — for catching
  22. root — of a plant
  23. bound — obliged
  24. kick — with a leg

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