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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. root — the cause
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cue — for pool
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. foot — a measure
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. bound — tied together
  12. root — of a plant
  13. cue — a signal
  14. root — of a word
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. cue — a hint
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. mine — for digging
  23. bound — certain
  24. fan — a supporter

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