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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bound — certain
  3. bound — tied together
  4. mate — a partner
  5. bound — obliged
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. root — of a word
  9. bank — of a river
  10. mate — a friend
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. root — of a plant
  13. capital — money
  14. capital — a city
  15. root — the cause
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. bank — for money
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. mate — to breed
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. bank — for money

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