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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. branch — a division
  4. snap — to click
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. pit — in a race
  7. root — of a word
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. root — the cause
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. lean — to bend
  15. bound — tied together
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. lean — thin
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bound — certain
  24. root — of a plant

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