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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. bound — tied together
  4. root — of a plant
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. charge — electricity
  7. fork — in a road
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. root — the cause
  10. firm — steady
  11. degree — from a university
  12. charge — in control
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. degree — an amount
  15. chest — of your body
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. degree — temperature
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — a company
  20. chest — of your body
  21. bound — certain
  22. charge — a price
  23. chest — a box
  24. root — of a word

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