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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 are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bound — obliged
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. foot — a measure
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pound — a weight
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. staff — a stick
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. snap — to click
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — employees
  14. club — for golf
  15. bound — certain
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. root — the cause
  18. club — a group
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. bound — tied together
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. club — for dancing
  23. root — of a plant
  24. pound — for dogs

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