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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 116 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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. root — of a word
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bound — certain
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cap — of ice
  9. bat — the animal
  10. root — of a plant
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. craft — a skill
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bound — tied together
  15. craft — boats
  16. root — the cause
  17. suit — to fit
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. suit — clothes
  20. pit — in a race
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. cap — a lid
  23. lie — to recline
  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