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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. root — of a plant
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. shower — to wash
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. foot — a measure
  14. perch — the fish
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. root — the cause
  17. shower — rain
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. craft — a skill
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bound — certain

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