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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. root — of a word
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. root — the cause
  6. tube — a container
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bound — certain
  10. track — a path
  11. cap — a lid
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. tube — the underground
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. track — to keep track
  18. cap — of ice
  19. cap — a hat
  20. rush — hurry
  21. prune — to trim
  22. track — a song
  23. bound — tied together
  24. root — of a plant

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