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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. tube — a container
  5. bound — certain
  6. scale — in music
  7. tube — the underground
  8. root — of a plant
  9. root — of a word
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. scale — size or range
  12. ground — the earth
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. ground — crushed
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ground — a position
  17. root — the cause
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bound — obliged
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. snap — to click
  24. ball — a great time

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