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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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. bound — certain
  3. root — of a word
  4. lean — to bend
  5. spell — letters
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. lean — thin
  8. spell — a short time
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. root — the cause
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bound — tied together
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. suit — in cards
  18. root — of a plant
  19. bound — obliged
  20. fine — high quality
  21. suit — to fit
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. spell — magic
  24. mouse — the animal

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