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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 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bound — obliged
  5. root — the cause
  6. mate — a friend
  7. net — in sport
  8. net — for catching
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. root — of a plant
  12. mate — a partner
  13. net — after costs
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. mate — to breed
  16. bound — tied together
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bound — certain
  21. chair — a leader
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. chair — to sit on

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