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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. root — of a word
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. bound — obliged
  6. root — the cause
  7. swing — in golf
  8. tube — a container
  9. swing — music
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. tube — the underground
  12. rush — hurry
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. swing — to play on
  18. bore — to drill
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. root — of a plant
  23. bound — certain
  24. tube — in a tire

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