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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 116 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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. perch — the fish
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. chair — a leader
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. craft — a skill
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. lie — to recline
  10. root — of a word
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bound — obliged
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — boats
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bound — certain
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. root — of a plant
  24. root — the cause

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