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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 would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. rash — a series
  4. bound — obliged
  5. staff — employees
  6. bound — tied together
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. roll — a list
  9. club — for golf
  10. bound — certain
  11. root — of a word
  12. root — the cause
  13. staff — a stick
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. rash — hasty
  16. game — wild animals
  17. roll — a cake
  18. game — a match
  19. toast — bread
  20. club — for dancing
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. root — of a plant
  23. club — a group
  24. staff — employees

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