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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bound — obliged
  3. present — the time now
  4. present — a gift
  5. root — the cause
  6. swing — music
  7. root — of a word
  8. ground — the earth
  9. ground — a position
  10. swing — in golf
  11. spring — a coil
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. spring — of water
  15. root — of a plant
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. spring — the season
  18. present — there
  19. ground — crushed
  20. swing — to play on
  21. foot — a measure
  22. bound — certain
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. bank — for money

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