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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bass — the fish
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. root — of a plant
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. bound — obliged
  7. game — wild animals
  8. tube — a container
  9. root — the cause
  10. bass — low music
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. chair — a leader
  15. spell — letters
  16. bound — certain
  17. game — a match
  18. spell — magic
  19. root — of a word
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — the underground
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. spell — a short time

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