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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. net — after costs
  5. root — of a word
  6. root — the cause
  7. object — a thing
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. root — of a plant
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. net — for catching
  12. object — to protest
  13. bound — tied together
  14. snap — to click
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — to bear
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mine — for digging
  20. object — an aim
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. net — in sport
  24. bound — certain

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