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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. mug — to rob
  3. race — the arms race
  4. root — the cause
  5. bound — obliged
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. mug — a face
  8. race — humankind
  9. dip — to sink
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. root — of a word
  12. chest — a box
  13. mug — a cup
  14. race — a contest
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. chest — of your body
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bound — certain
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. chest — of your body
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bound — tied together

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