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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bank — for money
  5. root — of a plant
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fine — all right
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. fine — high quality
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — for light
  14. root — the cause
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bound — certain
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bank — for money
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. root — of a word
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bank — of a river
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. date — the fruit

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