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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. chair — a leader
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. rest — a break
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. root — of a plant
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. bound — certain
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bound — tied together
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. root — of a word
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. chip — to eat
  21. vault — a safe
  22. chip — for betting
  23. rest — what's left
  24. root — the cause

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