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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  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. swing — to play on
  2. rest — what's left
  3. swing — music
  4. rest — what's left
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bound — certain
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bound — obliged
  10. tube — the underground
  11. bore — to tire
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. root — the cause
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. chair — a leader
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bore — to drill
  20. swing — in golf
  21. tube — a container
  22. rest — a break
  23. root — of a word
  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