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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. present — a gift
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bound — obliged
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. root — of a plant
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bass — low music
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bass — the fish
  18. present — the time now
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. root — the cause
  22. bound — certain
  23. root — of a word
  24. straw — a straw man

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