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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 120 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 need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bound — obliged
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. present — the time now
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. present — a gift
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rash — hasty
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rash — a series
  13. present — there
  14. bound — certain
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — an injury
  19. root — of a word
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. root — of a plant
  23. bound — tied together
  24. foot — a measure

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