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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 120 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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. root — the cause
  4. dip — to sink
  5. stand — to bear
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. bear — the animal
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bound — obliged
  14. fork — in a road
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a trace
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. root — of a word
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bear — the animal
  24. fork — to eat with

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