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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. net — after costs
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. root — the cause
  6. net — in sport
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. mug — to rob
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. mug — a cup
  11. root — of a plant
  12. net — for catching
  13. court — of law
  14. bound — certain
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. mug — a face
  18. root — of a word
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bound — obliged
  21. court — of a king
  22. court — for sport
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. temple — a place of worship

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