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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. staff — a stick
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. cold — an illness
  11. staff — employees
  12. bound — certain
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. root — of a word
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. cold — not warm
  17. staff — employees
  18. rule — a law
  19. rule — government
  20. root — the cause
  21. bound — obliged
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. root — of a plant
  24. rule — to rule out

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