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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. root — of a plant
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. bound — obliged
  6. root — of a word
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bound — certain
  10. race — the arms race
  11. root — the cause
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. race — humankind
  16. march — music
  17. tube — a container
  18. march — the month
  19. race — a contest
  20. bound — tied together
  21. tube — the underground
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. racket — a loud noise

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