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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. net — after costs
  4. dip — to sink
  5. clip — for paper
  6. bound — certain
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. net — for catching
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. pit — in a race
  14. root — of a plant
  15. clip — a video
  16. bound — tied together
  17. root — the cause
  18. pit — a hole
  19. bound — obliged
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. root — of a word
  22. clip — to cut
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. net — in sport

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