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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. root — of a word
  3. bound — tied together
  4. kick — in football
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bound — certain
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. root — the cause
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. lie — to recline
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. pitch — completely
  17. root — of a plant
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bound — obliged
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. suit — clothes

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