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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 120 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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. firm — decided
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. root — of a word
  5. firm — a company
  6. bound — obliged
  7. root — of a plant
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. land — to come down
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. root — the cause
  15. chip — for betting
  16. land — ground
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bound — certain
  19. bound — tied together
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. land — a country
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. firm — steady
  24. trunk — of a car

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