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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bark — to shout
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. squash — the sport
  5. root — of a plant
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. shower — to wash
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. root — the cause
  13. shower — rain
  14. squash — to crush
  15. bound — certain
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. bound — tied together
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. band — a ring
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. band — a music group

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