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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. hand — in cards
  3. track — to keep track
  4. root — the cause
  5. bound — certain
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bound — obliged
  8. track — a song
  9. bound — tied together
  10. hand — help
  11. fine — all right
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mate — a partner
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. mate — to breed
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. root — of a word
  20. root — of a plant
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. track — a path
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. fine — high quality

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