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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. key — in music
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — to rip
  8. root — of a plant
  9. key — for a lock
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. bound — certain
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bound — tied together
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. key — the most important part
  19. root — the cause
  20. tear — from crying
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. root — of a word
  23. chip — to eat
  24. chip — for betting

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