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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bound — tied together
  3. roll — a list
  4. root — of a plant
  5. bound — obliged
  6. sharp — clever
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. perch — the fish
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. root — the cause
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bound — certain
  20. roll — a cake
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. root — of a word
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — to cool the air

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