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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bound — tied together
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bound — obliged
  5. root — the cause
  6. root — of a plant
  7. face — to confront
  8. wind — moving air
  9. face — part of the head
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. wind — moving air
  16. root — of a word
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bulb — for light
  21. deal — to handle
  22. face — to point toward
  23. band — a music group
  24. band — a ring

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